Diabetes Archive

Peripheral artery disease (PAD), which occurs when fatty deposits clog arteries outside the heart, is underrecognized and potentially dangerous. The hallmark symptom is leg pain that occurs with exercise, called intermittent claudication. PAD is more common among people who are older, who smoke, and who have diabetes. The recommended treatment involves short periods of walking interspersed with rest periods when pain occurs. Walking increases blood flow in the leg's smaller arteries and helps create new channels to move blood around the blockages; it also helps discourage new blockages.

Most strokes are caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain. Those that damage small areas of brain tissue that don't control any vital functions are known as silent strokes because they don't cause any noticeable symptoms.

Climate change has made life-threatening heat waves increasingly common across the globe. Anyone with health issues will have a more difficult time in extreme heat, including older people and people with diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and other conditions. Be prepared by knowing how to identify and treat heat-related illness, and how to plan for hot days.

People with diabetes who take pain relievers known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be at higher risk of heart failure, according to a 2023 study. NSAIDs include ibuprofen, which is sold over the counter as Advil and Motrin.

A 2023 study shows that avoiding sugary drinks is linked to dramatically lower risks for cardiovascular disease and early death in people who have diabetes. Drinking artificially sweetened beverages in lieu of sugary drinks was also associated with lower risks.

High temperatures stress the body, leading to thousands of heat-related illnesses and deaths every year in the US. Learn when hot weather becomes dangerous and how to create your own hot weather safety plan.

Learn to manage your triglyceride levels to avoid having a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

A sugary diet contributes to weight gain and other factors that boost heart disease risk, including inflammation, disrupted blood sugar control, and increased cholesterol. The typical American diet is very high in added sugar, nearly half of which comes from sugar-sweetened beverages. Another 30% comes from baked goods such as cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, sweet rolls, and pastries. People don't need to completely give up sweet treats but should enjoy them just once or twice a week rather than daily.

What people choose to eat has a big impact on their cardiovascular health. The dietary habits of the nation as a whole also have a major effect on the country's economic health. About 45% of the costs associated with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes is related to unhealthy diets. The dietary habits that appear to have the biggest effect are not eating enough nuts, seeds, and seafood omega-3 fatty acids. Among foods to avoid, sugary beverages and processed meats seem to contribute the most to higher costs. Each year, unhealthy diets cost the United States an average of about $300 per person in medical costs, which translates to $50 billion nationwide.

A recent review found not only that coffee won't harm cardiovascular health or raise the risk of cancer, but it may actually have some health benefits. These include a lower risk of diabetes, and certain cancers, such as liver, and endometrial cancer. Many of these benefits may come from plant chemicals found in coffee.