The Diabetes and Heart Disease Link

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The Diabetes and Heart Disease Link

In our world today cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death and disability. Diabetes, the 7th leading cause of death in the US, continues to significantly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease at a 2-4 times higher rate as compared to individuals without diabetes. Understanding the relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular disease is one that is multifactorial and complicated. Research shows that artherosclerosis, a major factor of cardiovascular disease, is found to negatively affect an individual’s macrovascular with diabetes to a greater extent as compared to individuals without diabetes. Furthermore dyslipidemia, a strong risk factor of atherosclerosis is found in most individuals with diabetes. These major risk factors along with smoking and hypertension are found to act synergistically in the cardiovascular disease process.

            In the recent National Institutes of Health’s Treatment Option for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study found that the cardiovascular disease process is accelerated with an early onset in adolescents and youth with Type 2 diabetes, where they exhibit risk factors such as hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. This finding places emphasis on controlling risk factors such as hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia as measures to prevent/slow the progression of cardiovascular disease in individuals with diabetes, a concept which is supported by various other studies.  Surprisingly enough, these risk factors are can be significantly affected through diet and other lifestyle modifications.

            Dietitians play a unique role and are in the perfect position where they can individualize dietary patterns to combat hyperglycemia as well as hypertension, and dyslipidemia to help an individual manage their diabetes simultaneously while lowering their risk of developing cardiovascular disease. By identifying individual’s at risk, educating them, and providing culturally and age sensitive intervention strategies dietitians can help their clients maintain steady blood glucose levels, while preventing/slowing the cardiovascular disease progress. 

References
Brown-Riggs, C. (2014). The diabetes and heart disease link. Today’s Dietitian, 16(4), 12. Retrieved from http://www.todaysdietitian.com/

-KP

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