Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes: The
Deadly Duo
With the advancement of technology, improved
devices and new medicines to treat cardiovascular
disease, the number of deaths from cardiovascular
disease is slowly declining.
Unfortunately, there has been an increase in
the number of deaths of individuals with cardiovascular
disease and diabetes. Elevated glucose levels
are currently being considered a “major
risk factor” for increased morbidity and
mortality from cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease (defined as non-fatal myocardial
infarction, stroke, death from cardiovascular
disease, confirmed angina or the need for coronary
revascularization) affects millions of adults
with diabetes and is a major cause of morbidity
and mortality among persons with diabetes.
In 2003, according to the Centers for Disease
Control, 5.2 million people ages 35 and older
with diabetes were also diagnosed with a cardiovascular
disease condition. Cardiovascular disease causes
roughly 1.2 million heart attacks each year, and
more than 40 percent of those suffering from a
heart attack will die. Even more worrisome, 335,000
people having a heart attack will die in an emergency
department or before ever reaching the hospital.
According to the American Heart Association, over
7 million Americans have suffered a heart attack
in their lifetime.
Diabetes continues to be among the 10 leading
causes of death and increased morbidity and mortality
in the United States.
-
Nearly 13 million American adults had
physician-diagnosed diabetes in 2002 with the
prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes at nearly 6
million people.
- Since 1990, the prevalence of adults diagnosed
with diabetes increased 61percent.
- By 2050, the number of adults diagnosed with
diabetes is expected to increase by 165 percent.
As millions of people continue leading sedentary
lives, the obesity rate continues to rise as does
the number of individuals with diabetes.
Only recently have diabetics with one or no risk
factors for coronary disease, been considered
for cardiac testing. This comes as a result of
recent studies indicating diabetes is a leading
precursor for cardiovascular disease.
The extent and severity of vascular disease in
persons with diabetes presents many challenges.
Consequences of continued elevated glucose levels
can include chronic complications such as:
- renal failure
- vision changes
- peripheral vascular impairment
- progressive cardiovascular disease impacting
long-term prognosis in the diabetic population.
With persistent hyperglycemia, the effects can
be irreversible.
The increasing incidence of diabetes across the
country continues to grow, with more people hospitalized
due to complications as a direct result of uncontrolled
diabetes. Identifying those individuals at risk
is important in continuing the advances that have
been made in decreasing the rate of cardiovascular
disease.
To control diabetes, the focus must continue
to remain on early diagnosis, prevention and aggressive
treatment of diabetes as a risk factor for cardiovascular
disease.
Awareness of this deadly duo, paired with more
aggressive glycemic control for diabetics, can
prevent the increasing morbidity and mortality
rates. Diabetics with cardiovascular risk factors
such as smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol
and obesity should be treated aggressively and
educated towards lifestyle changes to prevent
a major vascular event and stop the development
of cardiovascular disease.
Deborah Paschal, CRNP
Degrees: RN, BSN, MSN, CRNP
Certification: Adult Nurse Practitioner
Division
of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
|
