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People often suffer from heart attack when the blood supply to the heart is impaired or obstructed. One of the factors leading to obstruction in blood supply is Diabetes.

Diabetes does this through several possible mechanisms. For one, diabetes makes the blood thicker and viscous. This state allows for easy clothing of blood within the blood vessels leading to the heart – hence, the obstruction.

Secondly, high blood glucose levels as manifested by diabetes promote production of "free radicals" that leads to a reduction in a compound known as nitrous oxide (NO). This then leads to the relative inability of the blood vessels to dilate and therefore leads to atherosclerosis (hardening of the vessels) and hypertension (high blood). Not only does hypertension increase the workload of the heart, but it can also decrease the supply of blood therein.

Thirdly, high blood glucose in diabetes can lead to injury of the lining of the blood vessels. This predisposes those blood vessels to fat deposition and atherosclerosis.

Diabetes can lead to a myriad of pathologies that leads to heart attack. In fact, it has been estimates that 50-60 percent of parents of patients with diabetes will eventually succumb to heart disease.

The good news, however, is that morbidities and complications associated with diabetes can be prevented. Huge clinical studies like the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and the Kumamoto study have all consistently shown that tight blood glucose control can dramatically reduce the risk of these complications associated with diabetes.

Tight blood glucose control can be achieved through diabetes education, proper diet, adequate exercise, appropriate medications and self-monitoring of blood glucose.

Diabetes education primarily involves enlightening individuals to the nature of diabetes and how they can act appropriately to address the disease. Diabetes education is crucial to the success and to the sustainability of medical strategies. Hence, it is considered one major cornerstone of effective diabetes management.

Manila Bulletin

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