http://www.medicinenet.com/heart_attack/article.htm
Diabetes: what’s the difference?
Diabetes Insipidus is much rarer than Diabetes mellitus (types 1&2) and is rarely considered a life threatening condition. It is caused when the hypothalamus doesn't make enough antidiuretic hormone (called ADH). This causes the water in your blood and urine to be unbalanced. In other cases, the kidneys don't work with this hormone properly. Diabetes insipidus causes frequent urination and creates the feeling of needing to drink large amounts of water. The person with DI may also become dehydrated quickly if they do not drink enough water.
Unlike DI, Diabetes mellitus results from insulin deficiency or insulin resistance leading to high blood sugar. It is far more common then Diabetes insipidus, though they can both cause frequent urination and the need to drink large amounts of fluid.
Diabetes statistics: It could happen to you…
23.6 million children and adults in the United States—7.8% of the population—have diabetes. 17.9 million people are diagnosed, while 5.7 million people are undiagnosed, and 57 million people have pre-diabetes symptoms. There are 1.6 million new cases of diabetes diagnosed each year in people over 20 years of age. Of people less than 20 years of age, 186,300, or 0.22% of all people in this age group have diabetes; about 1 in every 400 to 600 children and adolescents has type 1 diabetes.
But what is diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is caused when the body cannot produce insulin. Recent research suggests that there is a genetic component that when combined with other unknown factors triggers an immune response that causes the body to destroy the beta cells in the pancreas. As a result the body is unable to produce insulin normally. This causes hyperglycemia and inhibited glucose transport. The metabolism of protein, fat, and carbohydrates is also impaired, as are storage of fatty acids and glycogen, and amino acid transport is also disrupted. The disease causes overproduction of glucose and hyperglycemia, which damages the myelin nerve covers and leads to neuropathy, and damage occurs to the capillaries, causing them to thicken.
Type II diabetes is caused when the body is unable to use the insulin it produces, which results in hyperglycemia and impaired glucose transport. This type of diabetes is often associated with obesity, and involves either a defect in the insulin release sites or a resistance to insulin caused by a decrease in the number of receptor sites. As in Type I diabetes, metabolism of carbs, fat, and protein is impeded, as well as the storage of glycogen, fatty acids and triglycerides. Amino acid transport is also disrupted, and hyperglycemia damages the myelin nerve coverings, causing neuropathy. As in type 1 diabetes capillaries are also damaged.
So, what is CAD and why should I worry about it?
Coronary artery disease is a condition in which plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply your heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood. Plaque is made of fat, cholesterol, and calcium. It narrows the arteries and reduces the blood flow to your heart, and increases the risk of blood clots that could partially or completely obstruct blood flow. Both of these things could lead to blocked arteries, which can in turn lead to having a heart attack. Heart attacks starve your heart of oxygen rich blood, causing the eventual death of heart muscle. Coronary artery disease is the number 1 cause of death in this country for both men and women.
Diabetes more than doubles your chances of having a heart attack, and people with diabetes tend to develop heart disease at an earlier age than other people. People with diabetes who’ve already suffered one heart attack are at even greater risk of having another one. Heart attacks in people with diabetes are more serious and also more likely to cause death than in people without diabetes. High blood sugar levels can, over time, lead to increased deposits of plaque in the blood vessels, which may affect blood flow and increase the chance of blood clots and hardening of the blood vessels.
Many people with diabetes also have other conditions that elevate their chances of developing heart disease, and diabetes is itself a risk factor for heart disease.
Some factors that may result in heart disease:
Carrying extra weight around the waist as opposed to the hips (central obesity)
Elevated cholesterol levels (LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol) HDL, or ‘good’ cholesterol, removes deposits from inside your blood vessels.
Having high blood pressure.
Smoking. Smoking doubles your risk of getting heart disease.
What is a Myocardial Infarction?
Myocardial infarction, also known as a Heart Attack, occurs when arteries to your heart become blocked, starving your heart of blood and leading to the death of heart muscle. This causes chest pain, and if blood flow to the heart is not restored quickly enough, results in permanent damage to the muscle. Heart muscle may continue to die for six to eight hours even after blood flow is restored.
As previously stated diabetes is a risk factor for heart disease and causes a higher occurrence of heart attacks. Death rates are higher in patients who have heart attacks and who also have diabetes than in patients without diabetes, perhaps as much as 50% higher.
Why can’t I have sugar!?
The best kind of carbohydrates for diabetics are complex carbs, as simple carbohydrates cause spikes in blood sugar and cause serious problems. Complex carbs are a much better source of energy, and include whole wheat, whole grain breads, wheat pasta, brown rice, oats, beans, vegetables and fruits. These are absorbed more slowly and will help keep sugar levels stable.
And what about the bacon?
Studies suggest that high fat diets are associated with impaired insulin action. Saturated fats seem to have the biggest effect on this, and high intake of dietary fat is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is recommended that Americans have no higher fat intake than 30% of calories per day. Lowering fat intake is an important step in lowering your risk for diabetes and heart disease.
Exercise? Why should I? I like my couch…
Exercise is important for managing type 2 diabetes, and should be combines with diet and prescribed medications to help control blood sugar levels.
Exercise can:
• Improving your body's use of insulin.
• Burn excess body fat, helping to decrease and control weight (decreased body fat results in improved insulin sensitivity).
• Improve muscle strength.
• Increase bone density and strength.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Help to protect against heart and blood vessel disease by lowering 'bad' LDL cholesterol and increasing 'good' HDL cholesterol.
• Improve blood circulation and reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Increase energy levels and enhance work capacity.
• Reduce stress, promote relaxation, and release tension and anxiety.
Regular aerobic exercise also plays a role in preventing cardiovascular disease, as physical inactivity is a major risk factor for CV. Exercise can help reduce blood pressure, and people who start exercise after having had a heart attack have better survival rates overall.
What else does my diabetes screw up?
Genitourinary System
High blood sugar levels contribute to the development of kidney disease due to constant stress on the kidneys caused by having to filter high levels of blood sugar. Kidneys can become damaged or ‘leaky’, and leak protein into the blood. Nerve cell damage may also cause overactive bladder and incontinence.
Nervous System
High blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage, called peripheral diabetic neuropathy, which can cause tingling, pain, and numbness in the feet, hands, and skin, as well as weakness. Injury to the feet can be caused by loss of sensation caused by DN. Autonomic neuropathy can cause the intestines to stop working correctly, and can also cause loss of sexual function, as well as causing changes in the body’s ability to sweat.
Eyes
High blood sugar levels can cause increased eye pressure, causing glaucoma, and loss of blood supply to the retina and optic nerve can result in blindness. Damage to the small blood vessels of the eyes caused by diabetes is called diabetic retinopathy, and results in fluid and blood leakage which can cause vision loss. Scar tissue forming over the damaged blood vessels causes a condition called Proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Diabetics are also prone to cataracts, especially those with type 2 diabetes.
Skin and Feet
Poor blood circulation due to diabetes leads to wounds not being able to heal well, and diabetics are prone to foot ulcers and fungal infections of the skin. If circulation is greatly impaired, wounds to the feet may become infected and won’t heal at all, leading to amputations of the foot.
Recommended reading…
Top 3:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4563
http://www.livestrong.com/article/78198-organs-affected-diabetes-occur/
http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/exercise-guidelines
More information:
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/3/620.full
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-healthy-diet/NU00196
http://www.cyberdiabetes.com/
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/463689
http://www.medicinenet.com/heart_attack/article.htm
http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/insipidus/#difference
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/stroke/#connection
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Cad/CAD_WhatIs.html
http://www.medi-info.com/diabetes-mellitus/
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/
