Type 2 diabetes affects heart disease

More than 10 million Americans have Type 2 diabetes, which an expert called an epidemic in Thursday’s Sarver Heart Center lecture on diabetes and cardiovascular health.

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, but if it can be diagnosed and treated early, complications can be reduced, Nurse Practitioner Betsy Dokken, an Assistant Professor at the UA College of Medicine, told a packed audience at the Canoa Hills Social Center.

Dokken said that in the year 2000, when the population of the U.S. was 275 million, there were 5.9 million people with undiagnosed diabetes, one million with Type 1 diabetes and 10 million with Type 2 diabetes, which she called “the real epidemic.”

She said the risk factors for Metabolic Syndrome are genetic factors, central obesity around the waist, hypertension, physical inactivity, a high-calorie diet, and added “If you have three of the five risk factors you have Metabolic Syndrome ... and Metabolic Syndrome increases your risk for cardiovascular disease.”

Dokken said men are two times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease if they have Type 2 diabetes and that women are four to five times more likely to do so.

“Diabetes is a cardiovascular risk factor, particularly for heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking are added risk factors, especially for those with diabetes,” she said.

Dokken said that very few with diabetes can stay in control of their condition through diet and exercise alone.

Those with Type 2 diabetes usually require medications, and individual nutritional and exercise regimens are very important.

Stressing the importance of diabetics knowing their numbers, she advised that hemoglobin be checked every three to six months for blood sugar as it can indicate one’s risk for complications in the eyes, kidneys and nerves.

Dokken said the target blood pressure is 130/80 and high blood pressure (hypertension) greatly increases one’s risk of heart attack and stroke.

Blood cholesterol results can predict risk of heart attack, and anyone with diabetes should have annual checkups for microalbumin in the urine in addition to an annual eye exam, she said.

“Keep learning. Know your numbers, the date of your last eye exam and know your medications and what they are for — diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, aspirin and medications to protect your kidneys,” she said in closing.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.