Heart Disease & Diabetes

Introduction

People with type 2 diabetes often have 'abnormal' levels of blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides). Not only are the blood fat levels different to those of a person without diabetes, the cholesterol also tends to 'behave' differently.

Diabetes is diagnosed when the levels of glucose in the blood are too high. Glucose (a form of sugar) is the main source of fuenergy for the body. It comes mainly from foods containing carbohydrates but can also be made by the liver,. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, circulates in the blood. Insulin helos lower blood glucose levles by moving glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. Once glucose is in the cells, it ican be used for energy.

Diabetes develops when:

• The pancreas is unable to make insulin (eg: type 1 diabetes);
• There is insufficient insulin produced and, in addition, in many cases the insulin is unable to work effectively (eg: type 2 diabetes).

Over time, there is a build-up of fatty material on the blood vessel walls (called atherosclerosis) that restricts blood flow. This may lead to blockage of the major vessels supplying blood to the heart and brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.

In this Section

• How does diabetes relate to heart disease?
• What is the risk of this happening to me?
• How would I know if I had heart disease?
• How can I reduce my risk of heart disease?
• Here are some tips
• What should I be eating?

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