Your body is a well-oiled machine — most of the time.
Just as a car's engine relies on the oil that runs through its system, your heart relies on the blood that carries oxygen throughout your body.
If a car's oil becomes thin, worn, or is of poor quality, it can lead to low fuel economy or even an engine breakdown. In your body, if there are problems in your blood — such as high blood sugar from diabetes — it can take a toll on your body and your heart.
Over time, the high levels of sugar from diabetes can damage your blood vessels and nerves. The longer you have diabetes, the higher your chances are of developing heart disease and, over time, heart failure.
Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart failure, but it works the other way, too — heart failure can be a risk factor for diabetes. Other factors, such as how long you have had heart failure or high blood pressure, can put you at a higher risk for developing diabetes.
Though the two conditions are linked, it hasn't been proven that one causes the other. Still, the correlation is on the radar of physicians everywhere — and it should be on yours, too.
Two experts at Chester County Hospital, Michele Francis, Director of Community Health & Wellness Services, and Rebecca Mountain, Heart Failure Coordinator, explain what you should know about the connection between diabetes and heart failure.
Why Is There a Correlation Between Diabetes and Heart Failure?
Because diabetes is a disorder that involves the blood, it can impact a number of other functions in your body, from your eyes to your skin to your kidneys.
As Rebecca explains, "Many patients with diabetes are aware of the complications that can come from diabetes, such as glaucoma or kidney disease — yet most don't realize that diabetes can also lead to heart failure."
How Diabetes Leads to Heart Failure
"Patients with diabetes often have abnormalities in their heart's structure or function, including weaker pumping, an enlarged or thickened heart, and an inability to fill and pump efficiently — all of which can lead to heart failure," Michele explains.
If you have diabetes, your risk of heart failure is higher — even when your glucose levels are under control.
Other factors can increase your chances of heart disease even more, including:
- Smoking, which — along with diabetes — narrows your blood vessels
- High blood pressure, which makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body
- High cholesterol, which can build up and cause blockages in your blood vessels
- Obesity, which can cause insulin-resistance and make it more difficult to manage your diabetes
- A family history of heart disease
How Heart Failure Leads to Diabetes
The relationship between heart failure and diabetes also works in reverse. If you have heart failure, you may also be at risk for diabetes if you:
- Have an elevated body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference
- Smoke — or have a history of smoking
- Have elevated glucose levels
- Have high blood pressure
- Have had heart failure for a longer period of time
- Take diuretic therapy (water pills)
- Have more symptomatic heart failure
Effectively Managing Diabetes and Heart Disease
The correlation between diabetes and heart disease is strong — but it isn't inevitable. While it's true that patients with heart failure who also have diabetes may be at risk for worse clinical outcomes than heart failure patients without diabetes, there are ways to manage both.
Both diabetes and heart disease may require medication. It's important to follow the medication regimen as prescribed by your physician to keep both conditions from worsening and potentially becoming life-threatening.
The goal of heart failure medication is to improve the pumping function of your heart by reducing its workload, and treatment for diabetes is intended to lower blood glucose.
The key to both treatments is to make sure they are still doing what they're intended to do — otherwise, complications may occur. This can be done by staying up-to-date with your appointments and talking to your health care provider if you have any concerns.
"Both diabetes and heart failure patients should follow up closely with their medical providers to make sure they're receiving the best medication therapy to avoid clinical inertia — where their medication therapy is not escalated and they're delayed in meeting either target blood sugar goals or optimal heart pumping function," Michele says.
Keep in mind — there is one more essential member of this team: you. "Since both conditions require significant self-management, the patient or caregiver is actually the most important part of the team," explains Michele.
A critical component of managing diabetes and heart failure is your lifestyle. If you have diabetes or heart failure, you'll need to make certain lifestyle changes. But if you have both conditions, these changes become even more essential to your well-being.
Lifestyle changes to manage heart failure and diabetes include:
- Eating healthy and following dietary restrictions, such as limiting your sodium intake and balancing carbohydrates
- Exercising regularly according to your physician's guidelines
- Not smoking
- Limiting — or completely omitting — alcohol
- Daily weight checks and blood sugar testing
Both conditions require extensive monitoring, which may feel overwhelming at first. However, it's essential to your management plan.
Utilizing Resources for Both Diabetes and Heart Failure
Having diabetes and heart failure is a complex diagnosis — but no one expects you to manage either on your own. "Patients with both conditions can have extremely complicated treatment plans — and they can benefit from having a medical team for management," says Rebecca.
Your medical team is equipped with the knowledge of how to effectively manage these conditions. One commonly underutilized resource is a registered dietitian. This service is usually covered by insurance, and Michele recommends getting diabetes education at least once a year.
"Even though managing these conditions can feel overwhelming, there are resources available to help. While sometimes difficult, lifestyle management can really make an impact in preventing further complications," Michele explains.
Both diabetes and heart failure may require adjustments, which can take time to get used to. Use the support available to you, and be patient. Over time, you'll learn how to best manage both conditions in a way that works for you — and your heart will thank you for your efforts.
Do you have questions about the connection between diabetes and heart failure? Contact 610-738-2300 to find a primary care provider near you.
Chester County Hospital also offers a variety of support groups to help those managing heart failure or diabetes, including our Living with Heart Failure Support Group, Diabetes Support Group and Diabetes Online Facebook Support Group.
Related Information from Chester County Hospital: