Diabetes heart death warning

Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease

Many people with diabetes are doing nothing to protect themselves from an increased threat of heart disease, charities have warned.

Statistics released on Tuesday by the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK, show that diabetes can increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by up to eight times.

Too many people are being diagnosed too late

Suzanne Lucas

However many people with diabetes are unaware of this added danger to their health and are consequently doing nothing to protect themselves.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart attacks and stroke, is the biggest killer in the UK.

In recent years there has been a steady decrease in the number of fatalities.

However, the charities are warning that this fall is unlikely to continue unless people with diabetes do more to protect themselves by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, many people continue to smoke or do little physical activity because they are unaware of the extra risk to their heart caused by their condition.

Blood pressure

In addition people with diabetes need to have their blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked regularly.

Around 1.4 million people in the UK are diagnosed with diabetes.

But the true number could be twice that.

The number of people with Type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing, and is set to double by 2010.

Professor Sir Charles George, BHF medical director, said: "Managing your weight and taking regular exercise, such as walking briskly for at least half an hour a day, helps to reduce the risk of developing both cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

"Following a low fat diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, not smoking and ensuring that your blood pressure and cholesterol levels are good are also vital in combating these closely linked conditions."

Diabetes occurs when the level of glucose in the blood is too high.

Nine out of ten people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, which, in many cases, can be prevented by reducing weight and increasing physical activity levels.

Lack of exercise

Lack of exercise and being overweight also increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

To compound matters, diabetes also has other negative effects on the heart.

The high levels of glucose in the blood of people with the condition damages their arteries and can raise cholesterol levels, while the heart muscle and nerves can also be affected.

Suzanne Lucas, director of care at Diabetes UK, said: "Diabetes also needs to be diagnosed earlier as too many people are being diagnosed too late.

"There are currently as many people in the UK with undiagnosed diabetes as there are with diagnosed diabetes.

"Targeted screening for those at high risk of diabetes would help to reduce these numbers and help people avoid serious complications such as CVD."