Type 2 diabetes is a preventable disease that nevertheless affects more and more adults and children around the world. The increase is due to a more sedentary lifestyle and the popularity of westernized diets that emphasize sugary and processed foods over fresh, whole foods that are filled with nutrients and fiber.
If current rates continue, the International Diabetes Federation projects that one in eight adults will have diabetes by 2045. That’s an increase of 46% compared with today’s rates, which is about one in 10 adults.
When your doctor tells you that you’re prediabetic, you may feel relieved at first to avoid a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. However, prediabetes is still a serious condition that affects the health of your blood vessels as well as your heart.
At Laurelton Heart Specialists, renowned cardiologist Dr. Ola Akinboboye and our team want to help you keep your heart healthy if you have prediabetes. That’s why we work with you in our Rosedale, Queens, New York City office to help you make the changes you need to reverse your prediabetes and regain your health.
If you have prediabetes, Dr. Akinboboye may recommend an echocardiogram (EKG) or stress testing to evaluate the state of your arteries and heart. Here’s why.
Your arteries carry oxygenated blood and nutrients around your body to nourish your organs, including your heart and brain. Anything that compromises the health of your blood vessels also compromises the health of your organs.
When you have high blood glucose levels, the excess sugar circulates through your body instead of entering cells where it can be used for energy. The excess blood glucose sugar causes inflammation that can damage the inside walls of your blood vessels.
If your doctor has warned that your cholesterol and triglyceride levels are elevated and out of balance, you’re at increased risk for coronary artery disease. The coronary arteries are those that service the heart directly so it can pump efficiently and regularly.
The combination of inflammation from excess sugar and too much circulating fat in your blood vessels may cause the formation of plaques inside your arteries. The plaques narrow the space where blood can flow, causing a condition called atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis limits the efficiency of blood circulation to your heart and brain, which robs them of nutrients and oxygen. Over time, this puts you at increased risk for both heart attack and stroke.
You’ve probably seen Hollywood versions of a heart attack, where someone clutches their chest or left arm in pain. While these symptoms exist in real life, too, they’re not the only warning signs that a distressed heart gives. They’re just among the most dramatic signs.
Dr. Akinboboye calls angina (i.e., chest pain) the “cry of a starving heart.” Some people experience the sensation of an “elephant sitting on their chest” or feel like their heart is being “squeezed.”
However, if you have diabetes or prediabetes, you may never experience such unmistakable signs of heart failure. Your symptoms may be more subtle, such as unexplained dizziness or sweating profusely despite not having exercised or exerted yourself.
If you have prediabetes, you must monitor your blood glucose levels and make lifestyle changes that benefit your blood vessels and organs. Some changes might include:
Depending on your medical or family history, we may also recommend an EKG or stress testing. If you have personal risk factors for heart attack or stroke, or if these conditions run in your family, the sooner we identify problems in your heart, the sooner we can help correct them.
Do you have prediabetes? Be sure your arteries and heart are healthy by booking an EKG or stress test today by calling our friendly team at 718-208-4816. You can also use our online outreach form.
