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A BAD RELATIONSHIP:

DIABETES & HEART DISEASE

When it comes to bad relationships, mending your broken heart is the first step to recovery.

 

But what if you don’t know your heart is broken? For people with type 2 diabetes, knowing your heart is at risk is the first step to reducing your risk.

 

The connection between type 2 diabetes and heart disease is closer than many Australians realise. People living with type 2 diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease¹ but only 12% think they are personally at risk.

The heart of the matter

Between one and three per cent of people with type 2 diabetes experience a heart attack every year.3 That means that in any given year between 11,000 and 33,000 Australians will suffer a diabetes-related heart attack. Heart disease contributes to just under two-thirds of all deaths in people with diabetes.2 Alarmingly two-thirds of people with type 2 diabetes do not know that heart disease is the number one cause of death for people with type 2 diabetes.

Why is this relationship so complicated?

Diabetes can cause plaque to build up on the walls of the arteries. This clogs up the arteries, making it easier for cholesterol to gather and making blood flow more difficult. This blockage can lead to heart attacks, strokes and even sudden death. Diabetes also damages the walls of blood vessels, making them more prone to injury from blood pressure, swelling in the arteries and plaque build-up. 

What do I need to do?

Now is the time for you to take diabetes to heart. Have a serious conversation with your doctor about what you can do to reduce your risk

It takes more than managing blood glucose levels to reduce your risk. If you have diabetes, speak to your general practitioner (GP) doctor about the relationship between diabetes and heart disease. If you have loved ones with type 2 diabetes, encourage them to take action and speak with their doctor. The sooner you do, the sooner your loved one can take action. 

Download the ‘A bad relationship‘ fact sheet. 

See References

Want to help others find the words for their heart-to-heart, or need help taking the first steps? Read other people’s stories of their journey with diabetes and heart health and find factsheets and information to help you along the way.


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