What is Diabetes and heart disease

DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE Meaning

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a set of diseases that affect heart function and blood circulation. People with diabetes commonly also get diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is responsible for 65-75 % deaths in people with diabetes.¹ The reason being that type 2 diabetes shares several risk factors with cardiovascular diseases.² Few factors which are prominent in people with diabetes are:³

• Risk factors such as age, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, inactive lifestyle, and stress lead to increased risk of diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease_.
• People with diabetes have two to four fold increased risk of coronary artery disease (blockage of coronary artery) and they also get it earlier compared to people without diabetes.
• Women with diabetes are more prone to develop coronary artery disease than men with diabetes.

The impact of diabetes is such that developing diabetes itself is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease. It is therefore necessary to understand this association and take appropriate steps to prevent or manage this disease.

Ayurveda depicts heart as a vital organ essential for governing emotions and circulating blood to keep a person healthy. According to Ayurveda changing lifestyle and increasing stress levels are leading to thickening of arteries (coronary artery disease) or hardening of arteries resulting in angio-obstruction (vata dosha) and chest pain (ruja).⁴