Diabetes

and the heart

Supported by
Being in the know
Diabetes is a condition where there are problems with the control of blood glucose or sugar. With
diabetes, blood glucose is too high, because the bodys cells cant take it up and convert it into
energy as normal. Often, this is because the body doesnt produce enough insulin, a hormone
released by the pancreas that stimulates cells to take up glucose. It can also be because the bodys
cells have become resistant to the action of insulin. There are two types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes accounts for a small proportion of diabetics and occurs when part of the pancreas
stops producing insulin. It develops rapidly, with clear symptoms, usually before the age of 40, and is
managed with insulin injections, a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type and develops when the pancreas does not make enough
insulin or cells dont respond to insulin as well (insulin resistance). It develops more slowly, with less
noticeable symptoms than type 1 and so is harder to diagnose. It usually affects people over the age of
40, although young people and even children are increasingly being diagnosed. It is strongly associated
with obesity. Type 2 can be managed by diet, exercise and weight loss, although oral medication or
insulin injections are sometimes needed.

Symptoms of diabetes
increased thirst | passing urine more frequently | tiredness |
urinary infections | blurred vision | unexplained weight loss |
skin infections or thrush
These symptoms may not all happen at once and arent a definite
indication of diabetes; consult your doctor if you have any concerns.

At risk
You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you:
are overweight | are apple-shaped | have a parent or sibling with type 2 | are of South Asian or
African-Caribbean origin | have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome* | have had diabetes
during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) | have given birth to a large baby (over 9lbs or 4kg) |
have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and are overweight
* metabolic syndrome is where people have several risk factors at once, like a high waist measurement, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol levels and insulin resistance

Diabetes and heart disease If you have diabetes, you are not alone as two
and a half million people in the UK have diabetes
If not carefully managed, diabetes can increase and many more are thought to be undiagnosed.
the risk of developing coronary heart disease, The sooner you make changes to your lifestyle
stroke and circulatory problems and can lead and take any necessary medication, the sooner
to complications with eyes, kidneys and nerves. you can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Diabetes also worsens the effects of other risk
factors for heart disease, like high blood pressure, Prevention
high cholesterol levels, obesity and smoking. Some people can be insulin resistant or
Keeping your blood glucose levels controlled is pre-diabetic, where they have higher than
essential as glucose levels that are consistently normal glucose levels but are not yet diabetic.
high can affect the lining of arteries and promote These people are usually overweight or
the build up of fatty deposits. This can make obese, physically inactive and many go on
arteries narrower, reduce the blood supply to the to develop full-blown diabetes. By taking
heart muscle and increase blood pressure, all of steps to lose excess weight, exercise more
which increase the risk of having a heart attack, and eat healthily, the progression on to
stroke and peripheral artery disease. type 2 diabetes and the complications it
brings could be avoided.
Good management
and prevention
By making the right lifestyle choices and being aware of the
risk factors, you can help prevent diabetes, delay its onset
and manage your diabetes better. At the same time, you will
significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.
Choosing a heart healthy lifestyle is especially important if you
have high blood pressure or some of the other risk factors for
heart disease.

Under control
Healthy blood glucose levels
Keeping them within the normal range every day
will help prevent and delay blood vessel damage.
Blood glucose levels should fall between 4 to 6
millimoles per litre (mmol/L) before meals and
stay below 10 mmol/L two hours after a meal.
Get to know how your body responds to meals,
exercise, stress and other events. Take your
medication as prescribed and follow your GP and
nurses advice, which will be particular to you.
Lifestyle changes that count
A healthy weight and waist measurement
Excess weight, especially if carried around your
middle (apple shape), can make insulin less
effective in controlling your blood sugar levels
and can lead to high blood fats and high blood
pressure. Reducing your waist measurement
and body fat will help prevent diabetes and
heart disease. Get a tape measure out and start
losing any excess weight, slowly but surely.
1 to 2 lbs (0.5 to 1kg) a week will soon make a
difference to your waist measurement and
is best achieved by increasing exercise and
reducing your food intake.
Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity will help to regulate
your blood glucose levels and make insulin
more effective. It will also improve circulation,
lower blood pressure, promote weight loss,
lower body fat, strengthen muscles and bones,
boost energy levels and relieve stress. Find an
activity you enjoy doing and make exercise a
part of your day.
High blood pressure
is twice as common in diabetics, so get it checked
regularly and take measures to keep it at a healthy
level, ideally below 130/80 mmHg.
Healthy blood fats
Diabetics often have high levels of fats in the
blood (triglycerides and cholesterol), which
increases their risk of heart disease. These can
be controlled with medication, but also by eating
a heart healthy diet, losing any excess weight and
exercising regularly.
Target waists Less than
Women - white, black 31.5 inches (80cm)
and South Asian
Men - white and black 37 inches (94cm)
Men - South Asian 35 inches (90cm)
build up slowly and aim for 30 minutes a day
with an activity that increases your heart rate,
makes you slightly out of breath and gives you
a warm glow.
you can exercise in shorter instalments, like
three 10 minute sessions, and enjoy yourself
by varying the type of activity: from walking,
cycling, swimming, dancing to doing the
housework and gardening with gusto.
check with your doctor what is the best level of
activity to start with and how to fine-tune
your diabetic treatment and snacks to
your exercise regime as you get fitter,
try and increase your stamina by
exercising for longer spells.
join a club or bring a friend along for
company and motivation.
 A heart healthy balanced diet special diabetic foods arent necessary in
regular healthy meals based on a wide variety of a healthy diabetic diet; they can be high in
foods and smaller portion sizes are important calories, fat and salt and are often expensive
for keeping blood sugar levels steady and moderate your alcohol intake - up to 2 units
helping to lose weight a day for women and 3 for men. Remember
a third of your energy each day should come that alcohol is high in calories. Drink at meal
from starchy foods, preferably low Glycaemic times and check with your doctor that it wont
Index (GI) foods that cause a slower rise in blood interfere with your medication
glucose levels when digested. Foods like porridge,
Stop smoking
brown rice, mixed grain bread, pasta, sweet
Ditch that extra burden of chemicals that is
potatoes, peas, beans and lentils are low GI
so damaging to your heart and arteries and
choose foods that are high in fibre, which increases the risk of complications if you are
leave you feeling full and promote healthier diabetic. Get advice and support on successful
cholesterol levels quitting and enjoy all the benefits that come
make sure you have at least five portions of with a smoke-free lifestyle
fruit and vegetables each day and keep your
selection colourful and varied
cut down on total fat, saturated fat, sugar and
salt and watch out for the hidden amounts in
processed foods by checking food labels
include monounsaturated fats found in foods
such as oily fish, nuts, olive and rapeseed oil,
instead of fatty cuts of meat, cheese, butter
and lard that are high in saturated fat
if you need a snack, choose from chopped raw
vegetables, rice cakes, low-fat yoghurts or
plain popcorn

Whether you are pre-diabetic or have diabetes, make sure you invest in a healthy lifestyle.
Keep your blood glucose, cholesterol levels and blood pressure healthy for the benefit of
your heart, arteries, eyes and kidneys. Make a heart healthy lifestyle a way of life to help you
live life to the full.

At Alere, we believe in empowering individuals to take charge of improving their own health.
Alere products provide doctors and patients access to the right information at the right time.

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