Suffering from diabetes? Beware of this serious complication that could lead to heart attack and stroke

Diabetes can put you at risk of several health problems from kidney disease, nerve and eye damage, hearing impairments to skin problems. Uncontrolled sugar levels can always increase your chances of the disease affecting your internal organs and processes. It can also affect your heart health and one of the many complications of this metabolic disorder is Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), a slow and progressive circulation disorder. (Also read: MODY: Early signs of this rare form of diabetes that affects young people)

Diabetes can lead to accumulation of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and around the artery walls.

In this health condition, blood vessels in the legs are blocked or even narrowed owing to the fat deposits that hamper the blood flow to the feet and legs leading to difficulty in walking and debilitating foot pain. It can also increase your risk of heart attack or stroke and can lead to loss of limb and even death.

“The ones who have diabetes tend to also have atherosclerosis which is the reason behind the occurrence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) also called Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD). Those detected with PVD are also prone to heart attacks or a stroke. So, people having diabetes need to take enough care of themselves and stay healthy,” says Dr Vipul Rastogi, General Physician, Apollo Spectra Delhi.

Dr Rastogi also shares symptoms of this fatal heart complication with HT digital:

* People who are overweight or obese, don’t exercise, smoke, have high blood pressure, have a family history of PVD, coronary artery disease (CAD), or stroke, are more at risk of PVD.

Also, read: Holistic diabetes care at home: Here’s how to manage the condition during Covid-19

* If you have diabetes and suffering from unbearable leg pain, cramping on walking, numbness, have non-healing wounds, and gangrene, then you must get yourself checked for Peripheral Vascular Disease.

“The high blood sugar levels can roughen the artery walls and there will be plague formation in the walls of the arteries causing reduced blood flow to the arteries. So, the arms and legs will not receive enough blood, and one will notice tissue damage,” says Dr Rastogi.

It is important to get diagnosed by going for an ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI). Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment must be started immediately to prevent any further trouble or bring down risk of heart attack, stroke or amputation.