Emerging research reveals the increasing risk of heart disease in people with diabetes, emphasising the importance of early detection and comprehensive risk management to prevent silent cardiovascular damage.
Diabetes is widely recognised as one of the strongest modifiable threats to heart health, and doctors say the danger is often underestimated because the damage builds quietly over years. In The News Mill’s report, Dr Ashwin Mehta, director of the Heart Failure Programme at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said diabetes is a “very big driver of heart disease”, pointing to high blood sugar, insulin resistance and inflammation as the forces that gradually injure blood vessels. That warning is echoed by the American Heart Association, which says diabetes is a major controllable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which says people with diabetes face twice the risk of heart disease compared with those without the condition.
The concern is not limited to blood sugar alone. Dr Mehta said raised cholesterol and triglycerides often travel with diabetes, making arteries more prone to plaque build-up, while high blood pressure frequently adds to the burden. Harvard Health and Johns Hopkins Medicine both note that the combination of abnormal lipids, obesity, inactivity and hypertension helps explain why cardiovascular disease is so common in people with diabetes. Johns Hopkins estimates that those with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than others, while the American Heart Association has said the condition can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure.
One reason the illness is so dangerous is that it may advance without obvious warning signs. Dr Naresh Trehan, chairman and managing director of Medanta, told The News Mill that nerve damage can blunt the pain signals that would normally alert patients to a heart problem. In practical terms, that means some people may not feel chest pain even as disease is developing. The CDC says high blood sugar can damage both blood vessels and the nerves that help control the heart, reinforcing the case for tighter monitoring of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.
The News Mill report also described a striking case in which a 45-year-old man with diabetes arrived at hospital with what he thought was gastric discomfort, only to be found to have severe coronary disease and require bypass surgery. Dr Mehta used the case to underline a broader point: diabetes can be a myocardial risk equivalent, meaning some patients should be treated as though they already have coronary artery disease or have had a heart attack. Trehan argued that regular cardiac review, including echocardiograms, can help catch silent decline earlier. That message is consistent with broader public health guidance from the American Heart Association and the CDC, which both stress that controlling blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure and lifestyle risks is central to lowering the chances of a major cardiac event.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
