How Diabetes Impacts Your Heart: A Cardiologist’s Take
Many people think diabetes is just about fluctuations in blood sugar levels, but they often underestimate its wider impact. As the endocrinologist in Ghaziabad states, it affects several parts of your body, including but not limited to the stroke, kidney damage, vision loss, and nerve damage.
Diabetes also has a significant effect on the heart. What many don’t realize is that diabetes and heart health are closely linked. Here’s a closer look from the cardiologists at Yashoda Group of Hospitals, Dr. Anil Bhat, Director of Cardiology.
What High Sugar Does to Your Blood Vessels
Before going into the details, let’s first understand the basics. Think of your blood vessels as flexible pipes carrying blood to every part of your body. When sugar levels remain high for too long, those pipes start to lose their flexibility. The lining of the vessels becomes irritated and begins to harden, leading to a build-up called atherosclerosis. Once this happens, blood flow is restricted, and the risk of a heart attack or stroke goes up sharply.
It is not something you feel straight away. That is why many people are surprised when their first warning sign is chest pain, breathlessness, or even nausea.
Heart Problems Linked With Diabetes
The best cardiologist in Ghaziabad explains that living with diabetes increases the chances of several heart conditions:
- Coronary artery disease: The main cause of heart attacks. Narrowed arteries reduce blood supply to the heart.
- Heart failure: The heart muscle weakens and cannot pump blood properly. This can cause swelling in the legs, tiredness, and shortness of breath.
- Stroke: Blocked or damaged blood vessels also affect the brain.
- Poor circulation in the legs: Known as peripheral artery disease, which makes walking painful and slows down healing.
What You Can Do Every Day
The good news is you’re not alone in managing your health. With the support of specialists at Yashoda Group of Hospitals, including our endocrinologists in Ghaziabad, you can take simple, daily steps to protect both your sugar and heart health:
- Choose whole foods over processed ones. Fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, and nuts are your allies.
- Walk daily. Even 20 to 30 minutes of steady walking helps improve blood flow and keeps weight under control.
- Check your numbers. Knowing your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels helps you take action early.
- If you smoke, this is the single most important habit to stop. Smoking damages arteries much faster when combined with diabetes.
- See your doctor regularly, even if you feel fine. Silent changes in the heart often show up only in medical tests.
A Conversation Our Doctors Have Often
When someone newly diagnosed with diabetes asks doctors about how serious it is for their heart, the best cardiologist in Ghaziabad usually says, “Diabetes is like rust. You may not see it at first, but over time it weakens the metal.” The good news is, unlike rust on iron, you can slow down or even prevent the damage through lifestyle changes and medicines when needed.
They may also reassure them that it is not about being perfect. Skipping a walk one day or enjoying a treat now and then will not undo your efforts. What matters is the pattern you follow most of the time.
Looking Ahead
If you have diabetes, your focus should go beyond sugar control. Think of it as caring for your entire circulation system, especially your heart. Every healthy choice adds up, and over months and years, those choices make the difference between living with complications and living well.
Your heart does not ask for much: balanced food, regular movement, less stress, and routine checks. Start today, because the earlier you take charge, the stronger your heart will stay alongside your journey with diabetes.
Also Read: Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest: Know the Life-Saving Differences