What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease of the pancreas. Your pancreas sits behind your stomach. Its job is to make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose get to the cells in your body, where it turns into energy. Glucose is a simple sugar that is made when your body digests carbohydrates. It serves as the body’s main energy source.
When you have diabetes:
- Your pancreas can’t make enough insulin.
- Your body can’t use the insulin correctly.
- You can have both problems.
When there are problems with insulin levels, glucose can’t get into your body’s cells. So, glucose levels go up and your cells don’t get enough energy to work properly.
There are 2 types of diabetes:
- Type 1: Also known as insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes.
- Type 2: Also known as adult-onset diabetes. This is the most common form of diabetes in the United States.
Women and diabetes
Diabetes is more common in women than it is in men, and the risk is even higher for noncaucasian women.
According to The American Diabetes Association, there are about 13.4 million women in America who have diabetes, and the disease affects 11.2% of women over age 20.
About one-third of women with diabetes don’t know they have the disease. Be informed — ask your doctor to have your glucose level tested, especially if you have a family history of diabetes.
Diabetes and cardiovascular disease
If you have diabetes, you have a higher risk of eye and foot problems. You are also 5 times more likely than a nondiabetic woman to develop cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the most common complication of diabetes, and heart disease is the #1 cause of death for women who have diabetes. Compared to nondiabetic women, women with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to have a stroke or die from cardiovascular disease.
Reducing your risk of diseases linked to diabetes
As a woman with diabetes, you need to manage your diabetes to help prevent other problems the condition can cause. Your healthcare providers and dietitian can help you design a plan to keep you in the best health possible. This can include eating right, keeping your weight in a healthy range, getting regular exercise, taking medication and other lifestyle changes.
Medications
Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to help prevent or control factors that can lead to heart disease.
- Statins are medications that lower the level of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in your blood. High levels of LDL are linked to heart disease. Taking statins can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and your overall risk of dying.
- Metformin has been shown to reduce diabetic patients’ risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. This medication is often used as a first treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Controlling your blood pressure
If you have diabetes, you have a greater risk of having high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure puts you at risk of heart disease, kidney disease and eye problems. It is important to talk to your doctor about your blood pressure and follow your treatment plan. This can include a heart-healthy diet, exercise, medication and keeping track of your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about any questions or concerns you have about keeping your blood pressure under control.
Kidney disease
Diabetes puts you at greater risk of kidney disease because of the likely combination of high blood pressure and high glucose levels. Over time, your kidneys can become unable to filter waste from your blood, and they can completely fail. Kidney disease puts you at risk of heart disease, and kidney failure causes additional problems. Talk to your doctor about ways to manage your kidney health and reduce your risk of kidney disease.
For more information
Cleveland Clinic Women’s Cardiovascular Center
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/heart/depts/womens-cardiovascular-center
Appointments: 216.444.9343 or 800.223.2273, ext. 49353
Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute Resource Nurse
216.445.9288 or 866.289.6911. 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. M-F
