DIABETES and HEART DISEASE

KNOW THE FACTS AND REDUCE YOUR RISK

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia, claiming the lives of 50 of us every day, or one Australian every 30 minutes. Having diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, increases this risk. It has been estimated that having diabetes approximately doubles the risk of developing or dying of cardiovascular disease. So, while everyone should take steps to look after their heart, this is even more important when you have diabetes.

Heart disease explained

The major cause of heart disease is a build-up of fatty material inside the artery walls, known as atherosclerosis. These fatty deposits gradually clog up the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart. A similar process can occur in the blood vessels to the brain (a major cause of stroke) and other parts of the body, such as the legs and feet (a condition called peripheral vascular disease).

Your heart muscle needs a constant supply of oxygen to do its job of pumping blood around the body. It gets oxygen from the blood, which flows to your heart muscle through arteries on its surface, known as the coronary arteries. When there’s narrowing or blockage of these arteries, blood flow and oxygen to the heart is reduced, causing angina or chest pain, or the flow may completely stop, resulting in a heart attack. If not treated quickly, this can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle.

The diabetes-heart disease link