Having high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. The risk increases further if any of these three conditions co-exist. Proper management of blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes can reduce the risk of heart disease and improve health.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a result of the blood pushing on artery walls with too much force. This high force or pressure on arterial walls increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 or higher on two different occasions indicates high blood pressure.
Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure
Too much cholesterol can contribute to high blood pressure. Although cholesterol is found in the bloodstream, it does not travel well in blood. Cholesterol becomes incorporated into a lipoprotein to be transported through the bloodstream. A type of lipoprotein, called LDL, or low-density-lipoprotein, deposits cholesterol and other substances along artery walls. This build-up of can make arteries hard and narrow, a condition called atherosclerosis. The heart must work harder to push blood through the restricted artery, so the force of blood pushing against the artery increases, raising blood pressure. To help to reduce the build up, HDL, or high-density-lipoprotein, picks up cholesterol from arteries.
Diabetes and High Blood Pressure
A study in the December 2005 issue of the "New England Journal of Medicine" found that adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke than people without diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of developing high blood pressure, as diabetes affects the arteries in a complicated interaction. Thus, diabetes predisposes arteries to atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Diabetes and Cholesterol
Diabetes tends to raise LDL cholesterol levels and lower HDL cholesterol levels, which is called diabetic dyslipidemia, and increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. A link exists between diabetic dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, as nine out of 10 people with diabetes have insulin resistance, according to the American Heart Association. Insulin resistance is the body's inability to respond appropriately to insulin and is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
Improving Health
The National Diabetes Education Program, or NDEP, recommends that people manage their blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels to reduce the risk of heart disease. NDEP advises people to keep blood glucose levels below 7 percent, a blood pressure of below 130/180 mmHg, and LDL cholesterol levels below 100 mg/dL. Lifestyle changes involving increased exercise, eating plenty of vegetables and whole grains, and consuming less saturated fat are recommended to improve health. People with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes may need to also take medications to help to improve their conditions.
References
- American Heart Association: Diabetes
- National Diabetes Education Program of the National Institutes of Health: Know Your Diabetes ABCs: A1C, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol.
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Intensive Diabetes Treatment and Cardiovascular Disease n Patients with Type 1 Diabetes; David Nathan, M.D., Patricia Cleary, Jye-Yu Backlund, Saul Genuth, M.D., John Lachin, D.Sc., Trevor Orchard, M.D., Philip Raskin, M.D., and Bernard Zinman, M.D.; December 2005.
