Diabetes and Coronary Artery Disease
Diabetes is a condition that affects how insulin is produced and used in the body. Insulin is a hormone that controls blood sugar; a person with diabetes either does not produce enough insulin or is unable to use it properly. Over time, this condition can accelerate hardening and narrowing (atherosclerosis) of the coronary arteries, resulting in poor blood flow to the heart muscle.
People who have diabetes develop atherosclerosis more frequently and at a younger age than those not affected by the disease. Diabetes may double the risk of death from coronary artery disease (CAD). People with diabetes are more likely to:
If you have diabetes, traveling requires extra planning. Changes in meal patterns, activity levels, and time zones can affect your blood sugar levels with diabetes. That's why it's important to have some key reminders to make traveling with diabetes much easier:
Read the Traveling With Diabetes article > >
- Have high blood pressure.
- Have high triglyceride levels.
- Have low levels of "good" cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL).
- Have a thicker left ventricle, which can affect how well the heart pumps.
- Be overweight.
Young people with insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes have an increased risk of CAD and heart attack.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
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