Blood Sugar and Heart Problems - Is There a Relation?
Health experts opine that there is a direct link between high blood sugar levels and heart diseases. Also known as hyperglycemia, the condition when there is excess blood sugar or glucose in the body is a major symptom of type-1 and type-2 diabetes. It increases the risks of heart ailments including heart attack and stroke.
While affordable medical treatment is far from being a reality in India, one can hope to minimize the financial burden by opting for health insurance designed for specific ailments such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Controlling high blood sugar levels is possible and so are the risks of heart ailments. It is important to understand the link between increased glucose levels and heart diseases, as explained below, to manage your health better.
What Happens When Sugar Levels Increase?
When the glucose levels rise in the bloodstream, it can cause the blood vessels to contract which can lead to higher blood pressure – a risk factor for heart ailments. It can also damage the nerves controlling the heart and minimize the amount of blood reaching out to the other vital organs of the body.
Hardening of the coronary arteries, the oxygen-carrying blood vessels, is seen in people with diabetes. This happens when cholesterol builds up in the blood vessels. The subsequent effect is a heart attack. In worst cases, there could be a lack of blood flow to the brain leading to stroke. In situations when the heart is unable to pump blood sufficiently, there is heart failure.
The other effects of high sugar levels in the blood include vision problems, slow healing of wounds, skin infections and intestinal problems.
A person having diabetes with uncontrolled sugar levels in the body is more likely to develop heart disease. This combined with other risk factors such as high blood pressure, higher cholesterol or triglycerides, obesity, smoking, and family medical history increases the chances of developing heart problems. It is highly advisable to opt for an Affordable Care Heart which can help you keep track of your cardiac health as your heart will be monitored annually along with other medical tests
How to Control Blood Sugar and Associated Heart Risks?
For people suffering from diabetes, there are various treatment methods to manage the heart risks. Medication and regular health check-ups are one method. Metformin is the commonly administered medicine for people with type-2 diabetes mellitus while insulin is used to treat type-1 as well as type-2 diabetes.
Surgery may also be necessary for complications resulting from diabetes. However, it can be quite expensive. Buying a Mediclaim insurance policy becomes necessary if you are planning to minimize the cost burden. Care Health Insurance offers a customized health insurance plan care freedom for people with diabetes to help them get the best treatment for their condition without any financial worry. Moreover, annual health check-up is one beneficial feature of this policy.
There are also numerous natural ways to deal with the problem. The first thing is controlling the high blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels by following a healthy diet. Low-carbs and fiber-rich foods show tremendous effects as far as stabilizing blood sugar levels are concerned. This should be accompanied by maintaining the ideal body weight. Regular exercises, especially brisk walking and yoga are great ways to lose weight.
Attaining controlled levels of blood sugar is not a matter of a few days. It is a long process and demands consistent monitoring, diet control and assistance from experts. This way you can effectively curtail the progress of heart-related complications.
Disclaimer: Underwriting of claims for diabetes subject to policy terms and conditions.
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