Is Menopause Causing My Heart Palpitations?
Heart palpitations are often alarming, especially when they begin during menopause. Here, learn why they happen and why it’s important to discuss them with our team — even if you think they’re no big deal.
Diabetes and Heart Disease: A Bidirectional Relationship
Millions of Americans have heart disease, the leading cause of death for both women and men, and more than 38 million have diabetes. With such high numbers, it’s not surprising to find an overlap — but what may be surprising is the link that exists between these two common diseases.
In fact, they share a bidirectional relationship, where each disease affects the other in unique and profound ways. In recognition of National Diabetes Month, Anthony B. Lewis, MD, FACC, and the team at TLC Medical Group Inc. explore this link so that you can play a more proactive role in your own health and wellness.
How diabetes affects heart health
Diabetes disrupts regular blood sugar (glucose) levels, and considering that glucose provides energy for all your cells, tissues, and organs, it’s easy to see how this feature can have an impact on your heart health and function, too.
In diabetes, glucose levels are elevated beyond a healthy range. Over time, high glucose levels damage blood vessels, making them stiff and narrow and eventually leading to atherosclerosis or “hardening” of the arteries. Atherosclerosis, in turn, plays a central role in coronary artery disease and hypertension, making your heart work harder and increasing your risks of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems.
At the same time, diabetes contributes to chronic inflammation, another risk factor for heart disease. Higher levels of inflammation can affect your cholesterol levels, further increasing the risks of hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart disease.
Taken together, all these elevated risk factors — inflammation, high cholesterol, blood vessel complications, and high blood pressure — combine to increase your risk of all types of heart disease, including the most common type: coronary artery disease (CAD).
How heart disease complicates diabetes
On the flip side, heart disease complicates diabetes management, making both conditions more challenging to manage. Many heart disease medications affect the way your body processes glucose, making it more difficult to maintain steady blood sugar levels.
Some medications make it harder to maintain a healthy weight or interfere with your ability to exercise, further confounding your diabetes management plan. That doesn't mean you should skip your medications — but it might mean your medication plan needs to be adjusted to make it easier to manage diabetes.
Heart disease frequently leads to circulation problems, which in turn make it more difficult for your body to manage insulin levels — and therefore, harder to maintain healthy glucose levels, as well. Over time, fluctuations in glucose increase your risks of diabetes-related complications, like kidney disease, vision problems, cognitive issues — and yes, heart disease.
Managing your health
For people with both diabetes and heart disease, managing evolving health needs can seem challenging, but it’s actually more straightforward than you might think. With just a few simple steps, you can play a much more proactive role and improve your overall wellness, too.
First, it’s essential to meet with your diabetes care provider to ensure your diabetes management plan remains on track with your changing health and lifestyle needs, as well as and new risk factors, such as advancing age. It’s equally important to schedule regular heart checkups, allowing us to monitor your cardiovascular health and recommend necessary treatment as early as possible.
Regularly checking your blood pressure and cholesterol levels is also important. We provide both services during your office visit, and your primary care provider monitors these key factors, too, typically during your annual physical.
Lifestyle factors play a crucial role in managing both diabetes and heart disease. Managing your weight, quitting smoking, limiting or avoiding alcohol, and being more physically active can help you manage both diseases more effectively.
Unique challenges require custom solutions
The relationship between diabetes and heart disease is complex, but you can play a powerful role in managing both conditions while optimizing your own personal health journey. To learn more about what you can do to stay healthy — and how we can help — request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Lewis and the team at TLC Medical Group in Port St. Lucie, Florida, today.
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