November is National Diabetes Month, which aims to raise awareness of this chronic disease.
When you have diabetes, you monitor your blood sugar frequently to ensure it doesn’t stay at elevated levels. Without treatment, high blood sugar levels can lead to serious health complications, and some can be life-threatening, such as heart disease.
At his practice in Tarzana, California, board-certified internal medicine physician Dr. Samuel I. Fink treats many patients with diabetes. He understands how diabetes can mask the signs of heart disease — and even heart attacks themselves.
Schedule regular appointments so we can check for signs of heart disease and other health issues that could stem from diabetes.
If you have diabetes, here’s why you need preventive checkups that include heart disease testing.
The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which occurs when an artery or arteries leading to the heart become blocked. Cholesterol can build up in arteries that supply the heart with life-giving blood. It can attach to the artery walls, hardening into plaque.
Plaque deposits narrow your arteries, restricting blood flow to your heart and increasing your risk of a heart attack.
Arteries can also narrow in other parts of your body, including the legs and feet. When this happens, you have peripheral artery disease. Signs of this condition include:
These symptoms can be early signs of heart disease when you have diabetes.
If you have diabetes, you have double the heart disease risk than people without diabetes. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.
Diabetes can harm not only the blood vessels leading to your heart but also the nerves.
The autonomic nervous system includes circulation, respiration, and digestion, among other critical bodily functions. You can develop autonomic neuropathy without realizing it.
This type of neuropathy can alter the signs of a heart attack. You may not feel the most common symptom of a heart attack — chest pain. You can have what doctors call a silent or painless heart attack.
In addition to chest pain, signs of a heart attack include:
If you experience any of these symptoms, don’t ignore them.
Keeping blood sugar under control is essential with diabetes, and having healthy lifestyle habits can help. These include maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and taking medication if needed.
In addition, don’t smoke; it makes diabetes symptoms worse. Limit alcohol, which raises blood sugar levels.
Dr. Fink lets you know how often you should come in for checkups when you have diabetes. Checkups help identify signs of early heart disease, and your checkups may include:
These tests provide valuable information on heart function, blood flow, and nerve health.
For expert diabetes care, call the office of Samuel I. Fink, M.D., F.A.C.P., or request an appointment online today.
