Diabetes 'ages heart by 15 years'

[james123]

Diabetes has an effect on the heart and arteries equivalent to ageing 15 years, new research has shown.
People with diabetes fell into the high-risk category for cardiovascular disease (CVD) 15 years earlier than those without the condition, scientists found.
They were also up to four times more likely to have CVD than healthy individuals.

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http://healthnews.thegoodfriday.co.uk/diabetes_news.htm

[rzrbks]

james123

Diabetes has an effect on the heart and arteries equivalent to ageing 15 years

So, does this mean that 2 year old Diabetic can now start dating?

And how late will they be allowed stay out?




2 + 15 = 17

[duck]

So, does this mean that 2 year old Diabetic can now start dating?

And how late will they be allowed stay out?




2 + 15 = 17


You're terrible.

Actually, I am ROFLMAO.

I have also heard here that a safe rule of thumb was for a diabetic to go about life as if they have already had a heart attack...

[lgvincent]

It is something I've been concerned about, especially when considering that most of the men in my family have had heart attacks and a large number have died from them, and they did not have diabetes. I feel with the addition of diabetes to the mix, I'm almost certain to die of a heart attack. My father was 47 years, 8 months old when had his first series of them and his first triple bypass so I can't help but feel I'm living on borrowed time.

[HelenM]

Thats why the targets for LDL cholesterol and for blood pressure are lower in diabetics than non diabetics and that (at least here) drug intervention is more aggressive to bring the levels down.


It is something I've been concerned about

I don't know how old you are now but it may be that your medical providers will be able to check for signs of problems as you get older, particularly with your family history. Certainly keeping the LDL down and the HDL up must help. Exercise also seems to benefit cardiovascular health.
Because I was 52 when diagnosed (and perhaps because I live in a country very proactive in preventative medicine) I had echo scans of heart and arteries and a stress test and will continue to have them regularly in order to intervene if necessary.

[mg_2204]

Thats why the targets for LDL cholesterol and for blood pressure are lower in diabetics than non diabetics and that (at least here) drug intervention is more aggressive to bring the levels down.

That's right! Not only do we have to strive for low blood sugars but we have to keep a close watch on LDL and BP. My LDL is at a level considered 'normal' for a non diabetic person. But because I have diabetes I must aim lower. It makes sense when you look at the bigger picture : staying healthy! And alive.

Lg, I have a very scary family history of heart disease. I am living with a sword of Damocles over my head. You don't choose your family and you certainly don't choose your genes either.

[Penny]

I have had two heart attacks, the first at age 51. My cholesterol and blood pressure were always good before this happened, now I take medication to keep it even lower. I do not have any clogged arteries, never did, and no one could ever give me a good reason for the heart attacks. I always figure it had something to do with the diabetes, until I saw the show on TV about "Broken Heart" heart disease. The first one could really have been caused by this. Also there is a rare heart disease that has only surfaced in male members of my family on my father's side, that could be responsible. My young cousin left his house for his regular morning run and dropped dead, he was 37. His brother dropped playing basketball at 20. He was saved and now lives with a pace maker. We were told it was like having a short circuit?????? The heart just stops, which is what happened to me.

[Jinx13]

I'd agree with that number. I had a fancy bypass (MIDCAB) at age 50 after several attempts to fix up a fussy artery. I don't know if it was the DM, but all attempts to prop the artery open with stents failed. The stents occluded within a few months each time as my body saw them as invaders.

Dratfully, I'm going back in for my 8th Cardiac Cath on Thursday next week. I dread that procedure. It's annoying and it's painful. Hopefully I can hold off the rest of the bypasses for a number of years. Wish me luck, okay?

Regards

[Penny]

I'd agree with that number. I had a fancy bypass (MIDCAB) at age 50 after several attempts to fix up a fussy artery. I don't know if it was the DM, but all attempts to prop the artery open with stents failed. The stents occluded within a few months each time as my body saw them as invaders.

Dratfully, I'm going back in for my 8th Cardiac Cath on Thursday next week. I dread that procedure. It's annoying and it's painful. Hopefully I can hold off the rest of the bypasses for a number of years. Wish me luck, okay?

Regards

That's tough Jinx, I hope all goes well for you!

[KickStart101]

Geez, that's a few more among many young heart attack victims.
And many of them do not have Diabetes.

Penny, do you mind if I ask what symptoms you had? We were always told
that symptoms of heart attack was laboured breathing and a bad pain in the
chest, plus other. Then yrs. later with Women it was a pain down the arm
and numbness and dizziness, etc.

[Penny]

Geez, that's a few more among many young heart attack victims.
And many of them do not have Diabetes.

Penny, do you mind if I ask what symptoms you had? We were always told
that symptoms of heart attack was laboured breathing and a bad pain in the
chest, plus other. Then yrs. later with Women it was a pain down the arm
and numbness and dizziness, etc.

If you had asked me that right after my first heart attack, I would have said little or no symptoms. As I have thought about it over the years, I realize there were many. The evening before we had a very stressful confrontation with a not so nice person. At that time, I felt "funny" the only way I can think about it. My legs were shaking and I felt light headed. I slept little, and got up still with the funny feeling and shaky legs. Then a few hours later, I was doing a chat with a good friend online, and I just did not feel well right. If you asked me why, I could not tell you, I just knew something was wrong. Then my feet started hurting, I can't explain that either, but I kept telling my friend they hurt and that I was feeling more and more uneasy. She kept telling me to call my doctor. I remember telling her I was going to take a hot shower and if I did not feel better I would call. The hot shower just increased the uneasy feeling, and the back of my neck hurt (but just a little, nothing anyone would be too concerned about). At this point, the "funny" feeling was getting worse, and I just kind of knew something was wrong. I asked my husband to take me to the ER. I still had no real complaints, but I just felt something was wrong. By the time we pulled up, I knew I was in trouble. My husband let me out to walk in the ER (something he feels terrible guilt over to this day). They looked at me, put me in a wheelchair, and took me to a room, where some 12year old doctor :dontknow: kept trying to get me to lie down. I remember taking every ounce of energy I had left to say...."I can't breathe!" That is the last thing I remember until I woke with tubes all over my body, and telling a nurse I needed to pee. (I was hooked up to a tube there to) I was told I had died and was "brought back". Four days later, all I wanted was out of there, and my amazed doctors finally let me go home. The second one was much different, I am told it was congestive heart failure. The symptoms were much different, if anyone wants to know.

[Dewey]

Truthfully, in this fast-paced world that we now live in....I don't think that Diabetes is so much the culprit of aging the heart. Rather, stress is a major factor!! People, with or without Diabetes, have been suffering heart attacks at much younger ages (as some pointed out).
That said, Diabetes doesn't help things in any regard, heart or otherwise.

Penny, I'd like to know (if you wish to PM me) about your experiences on this. Sorry if I'm being nosy, am just curious to know. :o

[Penny]

Penny, I'd like to know (if you wish to PM me) about your experiences on this. Sorry if I'm being nosy, am just curious to know. :o

Dewey, I didn't mind posting it, just did not want to hijack this post. The other one was already so long.
First, I live with 2 smokers, I quit myself when I had the first heart attack. One doctor said the CHF (congestive heart failure) was because of this, another said it was caused by the damage to my heart from the first heart attack, another said it was caused by a virus. I am not sure, but they could not find any real damage to my heart. This was one of those times when I thought I was getting a chest cold. My chest felt heavy, but not congested. I had a slight cough for several days....a strange one, just a little almost clearing your throat cough. Then I could not sleep at night unless I was almost sitting upright. When I tried to lie down I could not breathe right. This just progressively got worse. Keep in mind, I had seen my heart doctor just a few days before this started and he had pronounced my heart "in great shape". Anyway, I started not being able to walk more than a few feet without stopping to "get a breathe". Finally I gave into my husband's nagging, and called to make an appointment with my doctor...I said I thought I had a flu, and only got in because they had a cancellation. My doctor said he did not hear anything, and I did not have a fever, or any signs of congestion he could see. He was going to send me home, but said "Let's do a chest xray, just in case". Then he was asking me if someone brought me, and my husband came in and was told to get me right to the ER, as it would be faster than waiting for the ambulance. He said I was in the middle of a heart attack. This one, they put me on IV's, put oxygen in my nose (I hate this, it makes my nose bleed), and I was in the hospital for 7 days, hooked up to tubes! I did not even feel sick and wanted to go home. I was told this was because of pain medication they were administering through the IV. To tell the truth, I have had colds that made me feel worse, but was told I was in bad shape and was lucky to get through that one. Go figure!

[KickStart101]

Geez, that's scary Penny. But see, that's nothing like the symptoms
we are told about. You're amazing. My Dad died from congestive heart
failure but didn't come back. :( He was not a Diabetic.

[Penny]

Geez, that's scary Penny. But see, that's nothing like the symptoms
we are told about. You're amazing. My Dad died from congestive heart
failure but didn't come back. :( He was not a Diabetic.

I was told women have different symptoms than men. My doctor said he had to relearn a lot of things because more women are having heart attacks, and they "have to be contrary, even about this". He thought he was funny!
Personally, I think I was just too dumb and stubborn to realize I needed help. I hate being sick, and have a hard time asking for help. My husband nags :D about my health issues, or I would not do anything until it is too late.
I am getting better at it though, I just have too much to do to let something like being sick get in the way.
I'm sorry about your Dad, I am pretty sure that is what killed my Dad. But he was a diabetic who drank regular Pepsi, and ate what he wanted everyday. He never took medication of any kind. I did not grow up with my Dad in my life, so just found this out from an Aunt, recently.

[Petruchio]

I am still new at the big D stuff, and I try to keep things simple. For example, low BS = zombie & coma = not cool. High BS = poison = also not cool. High BS messes with a lot of body parts including eyes and nerves. Why not the heart too?

There is something else Diabetics and Heart patients have in common. Both effect us in different ways. On this forum I keep seeing how what D does for one is different than what it does for another. That is why all the different treatments, etc. The same with Heart Attacks. When I had mine at 47 it was a very unique feeling. The only thing that comes close to describing it is if you take a BIG Gulp of real fizzy soda . . . except the pain did not move down towards the belly. I did not know what was going on, but I did know I was in deep Kimchee!

I don't want to go off-topic, but they do interact with each other. The real frustration for me is the Heart folks want my diet to restrict fats and meats. The Diabetes folks want me to forsake Carbs. . . What's left? I just do what I do and tick-off both sides. :laugh:

[KickStart101]

Well, thanks Penny. My Dad was a Good Guy, but it was his time I guess.

I'll be writing all those symptoms down. Sure is different than what we
were taught to expect a few yrs. ago. Glad you're alive though. ;) :flowers:

[Penny]

don't want to go off-topic, but they do interact with each other. The real frustration for me is the Heart folks want my diet to restrict fats and meats. The Diabetes folks want me to forsake Carbs. . . What's left? I just do what I do and tick-off both sides. :laugh:

I have that problem, too. My heart doctor wanted me to restrict water to1 quart a day. I tried, then when I got bladder cancer, the first thing I was told was to drink as much water as I could hold. Also the diabetic doctor said it was important for me to drink lots of water. Then the heart doctor said to cut out most eggs and meat. I became anemic, and was told to try hard to eat eggs and at least two meat servings a day. Then I was told to restrict carbs, after my heart doctor got diabetes. But the proctologist (butt doctor if the spelling isn't right) told me to cut the meat and eat lots of bananas and fruit. I figured I can safely munch on the grass in my yard, and won't need to cut it anymore.:)

[KickStart101]

I am still new at the big D stuff, and I try to keep things simple. For example, low BS = zombie & coma = not cool. High BS = poison = also not cool. High BS messes with a lot of body parts including eyes and nerves. Why not the heart too?
There is something else Diabetics and Heart patients have in common. Both effect us in different ways. On this forum I keep seeing how what D does for one is different than what it does for another. That is why all the different treatments, etc. The same with Heart Attacks. When I had mine at 47 it was a very unique feeling. The only thing that comes close to describing it is if you take a BIG Gulp of real fizzy soda . . . except the pain did not move down towards the belly. I did not know what was going on, but I did know I was in deep Kimchee!
I don't want to go off-topic, but they do interact with each other. The real frustration for me is the Heart folks want my diet to restrict fats and meats. The Diabetes folks want me to forsake Carbs. . . What's left? I just do what I do and tick-off both sides. :laugh:

You make a good point Petruchio, keep it basic so as not to clutter up the brain. ;) Yes, high sugars wreck most of your body like an acid. But you
can help yourself alot and you know how. Ya, funny how Diabetes and Heart Attacks symptoms effect People differently alright.
Geez, you had a heart attack also? And your symptom is different too. Good Heavens. Of course, you are a Man, so I probably won't get that symptom. Who knows?

Diet-wise....have you thought about lettuce and hold the dressing? :) Well,
surprise them and keep your sugars in decent range. Sounds good to me. ;)
Your lucky to still be standing.

[Steve in VA]

Actually, we're all living on borrowed time. I got run over by a tank when I was 19 (yes, I'm probably the only person you'll ever hear say that), and I wasn't supposed to live. Well, that was 35 years ago and I've done a **** of a lot of living since then, so it all comes down to making the most of what we have.

Of course, I make some very odd noises when I walk... :0

[duck]

Penny (all),

I am still reading through this thread, but wow! You actually died and you're back! You can also honestly use one of my favorite movie quotes of all time: "I've been dead before..."

Incredible stuff. I'll be back, have another page to read...

[duck]

Isn't the first symptom of a heart attack typically death?

Penny, do you have a defibrolator in your house?

[Penny]

Isn't the first symptom of a heart attack typically death?

Penny, do you have a defibrolator in your house?

No defibrolator. No one even knows why I had a heart attack. I have had every test they can think of, they even tried to simulate a heart attack to see if they could figure out what happened. They (the doctors) got scared, and stopped it. Everyone asks me if I "saw the light"....I saw nothing. One minute I was looking at a bunch of medical people, then I opened my eyes and saw my ex son-in-law standing at the foot of my bed, this was a day or two later. Now some people won't want to hear this, but I do know something happened, because I knew I was spared for something. I knew there was something/somethings I was meant to do. Since then a couple of things have happened that made me think I was done, but I don't think I am.
I love science fiction, but no way do I believe in any of it, but I do believe I have some kind of mission in life and that is why I was spared twice.

[duck]

No defibrolator. No one even knows why I had a heart attack. I have had every test they can think of, they even tried to simulate a heart attack to see if they could figure out what happened. They (the doctors) got scared, and stopped it. Everyone asks me if I "saw the light"....I saw nothing. One minute I was looking at a bunch of medical people, then I opened my eyes and saw my ex son-in-law standing at the foot of my bed, this was a day or two later. Now some people won't want to hear this, but I do know something happened, because I knew I was spared for something. I knew there was something/somethings I was meant to do. Since then a couple of things have happened that made me think I was done, but I don't think I am.
I love science fiction, but no way do I believe in any of it, but I do believe I have some kind of mission in life and that is why I was spared twice.

Psssst...Hey, wanna go to Afghanistan with me and look for a certain terrorist?

Okay, I'm done poking a little fun at this serious topic.

[Penny]

Psssst...Hey, wanna go to Afghanistan with me and look for a certain terrorist?

Okay, I'm done poking a little fun at this serious topic.

That's the only way I can deal with it! I think I posted it before, but after the heart things, and then cancer, I wrote a list of 100 things I want to do before I die. One of them, I dyed my quickly thinning dark brown hair, bright red. Some people don't like it because I makes jokes, but it makes things easier....if I have to go out, I want to go out laughing. I don't look good in tent dresses (is it a Buruka?), or I would go with you, Duck.:D

[mg_2204]

Diet-wise....have you thought about lettuce and hold the dressing?

You MUST try fresh lemon juice instead of the usual store bought dressing...!!! Squeeze a lemon over your salad. Excellent!

I don't bother making a salad anymore. I would always end up with too much leftovers and they would sit forever in the fridge. What I do now is put a few leaves of lettuce on the side of every plates. I add cucumber slices, diced tomatoes, a bit of green onions, whatever I have in the fridge to make it short, add herbs... and squeeze a fresh lemon on top of everything! So it's one portion for everyone and no leftovers. It's healthy too.

[KickStart101]

MMmmmm....that sounds like a good alternative to a big bowl of
salad. I have put a couple of pieces of romaine lettuce and slices
of cucumbers on it with the rest of the meal but didn't try the lemon
juice. Thanks. :)