Looking after your cardiovascular health is important for everyone, but if you are living with type 2 diabetes, it’s even more essential to reduce your cardiovascular risk. Living with type 2 diabetes means you are more prone to a build-up of fatty deposits inside your arteries (a condition known as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or ASCVD for short) and because of this, you’re more likely to have serious health problems, such as a heart attack or stroke, than someone who doesn’t have diabetes.1,2 The good news is that there are lot of things that you can do to help prevent ASCVD and reduce your risk of developing diabetes complications.
Through learning and understanding how diabetes can affect your cardiovascular system and the causes of cardiovascular disease, you can make good lifestyle choices that may lower your risk of unexpected complications that can occur in the future. Whether it’s you or a loved one living with type 2 diabetes, it’s important that you learn the signs of a heart attack and stroke.
ASCVD is a term that refers to a build-up of fatty deposits (known as plaque) inside your arteries. Plaque can build up and can clog the arteries, it could cause a blood clot. Because of this, the blood cannot flow through normally, and organs such as the heart and brain, as well as lower limbs and potentially all arteries, cannot get the oxygen they need to function properly. This can have very severe consequences, such as a heart attack or stroke.3,4
An important thing to know about ASCVD is that it develops gradually. Most people don’t know they have it until it is already at a more advanced stage, and this may lead to them having a heart attack, stroke, or lower limb ischaemia.5 But there are things that you can watch out for, some of which may be early signs of cardiovascular disease. If you recognise any of these signs, you could consider making some lifestyle changes and be evaluated by your healthcare provider.
