Chronic diabetes left untreated is definitely bad for the heart
Patients with long-term chronic diabetes who cannot control their blood sugar levels normally have a 50-80% higher chance of dying from cardiovascular diseases than people without diabetes. This is because prolonged high blood sugar causes blood vessels to harden and become damaged, leading to vessel degeneration, narrowing, or blockage. Blood flow back to the heart decreases, and the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood, resulting in ischemia, heart conditions such as chest pain or heart attack, and can also lead to more complications from various diseases. It can be said that diabetes is a direct risk factor for atherosclerosis. However, in the early stages of vessel narrowing or blockage, symptoms may not be noticeable. But if we continue to fail to control blood sugar levels, symptoms will worsen.
These symptoms indicate… our heart may be lacking blood
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Abdominal tightness or indigestion
- Difficulty breathing
- Easily fatigued
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
Diabetes increases the risk of stroke by up to 3 times!
People with chronic diabetes have a 2-3 times higher chance of having ischemic or blocked stroke than normal people because diabetes causes high blood lipids and high blood pressure, which affect the blood vessel walls, causing inflammation, degeneration, narrowing, or blockage more easily. It also causes blood to clot more easily, increasing the risk of blood clots blocking cerebral blood vessels. Surveys show that more than 80% of patients with ischemic or blocked stroke have blood clots that block cerebral vessels. When the brain lacks blood, brain tissue is damaged, brain function is disrupted, leading to hemiplegia or paralysis.
If you see someone with these symptoms, it may be a sign of stroke
- Weakness in one side of the arm and leg
- Numbness on one side of the face
- Blurred vision
- Slurred speech or crooked mouth
- Dizziness or headache
- Unsteady walking
