Diabetics May Not Sense Heart Attack Symptoms Like Others: Study
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Diabetics may not feel the classic heart attack symptoms like acute chest pain, which could make the episode more deadly for them, says a new study. The study published in the journal BMJ Open examined data from detailed interviews with 39 adults in who had been diagnosed with diabetes and had also experienced a heart attack. The study revealed that while most participants felt a minute chest pain, but it didn't seem like a warning signal. Researcher explained that long term diabetes could damage your heart in many ways (increased blocking of the heart's blood vessels), but at the same time it can also take a toll on your nerves. Just as some diabetics cant not feel the stubbing of their toe, they also feel less pain from damaged heart muscle when the blood supply gets cut off, so they don't feel the crushing chest pain of a heart attack. Most were male, and roughly half were white. The majority of the participants had type 2 diabetes, which happens when the body can't properly use insulin to convert blood sugar into energy. Four of them had type 1 diabetes, a lifelong condition that develops when the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone needed to allow blood sugar to enter cells. So while the biology of the heart attack is the same, degree of nerve damage (neuropathy) in patients with advanced diabetes could place them ata higher risk on sensing the danger just in time. Experts advise not to take even the minutest of chest pain lightly, diabetics should also be regular with theirfollow-up with their physicians, keep their blood sugars well controlled, lead a heart-healthy lifestyle, avoid the development of cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
They should keep away from:
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