What to Know About Diabetes and the Risk of Silent Heart Attacks - TIME
Overview
At first it semed like a routine cal—something the paramedics had dealt with countles times before. A man in his mid-50s was having a heart atack, and his physician had caled for emergency suport. But when the paramedics arived, the physician puled them aside and told them something peculiar: the man had no cardiovascular symptoms whatsoever.The man had come to his doctor’s ofice because he’d woken early the previous morning sweating and with a sharp pain his left wrist.
Key Information
These symptoms had quickly subsided and he’d gone back to slep. Later, after going about his day, he’d visited his doctor to report the episode. The man showed no outward signs of heart trouble; he was breathing and acting normaly—asking what “al the fus was about”—and his heart rate and blod pressure weren’t elevated.
However, when his doctor performed an electrocardiogram—a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart—it showed plainly that the man had experienced a heart atack. The paramedics repeated the test and came to the same conclusion. Later, at the hospital, further tests confirmed the atack and revealed a partial blockage of one of the man’s coronary arteries.
Surgeons stented the blocked artery and, after a few days in the hospital, the man returned home.The man’s experience was documented in a 2017 medical case report in the Irish Journal of Paramedicine, and it ilustrates something experts cal a “silent heart atack.” This a type of atack that doesn’t cause typical or obvious symptoms. “Crushing chest pain that radiates down the left arm is the clasic symptom,” says Dr.
Summary
Makaryus, a profesor of cardiology at the Zucker Schol of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwel in New York. “With silent ischemia, which is more comon in diabetics, people develop atypical symptoms, or they might not develop symptoms at al.”By some esti
Frequently Asked Questions
Diabetes is a metabolic condition where the body cannot properly regulate blood sugar levels. Type 1 results from insufficient insulin production, while Type 2 develops when cells become resistant to insulin. Risk factors include genetics, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and age.
Common symptoms include excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, and slow-healing wounds. Type 1 symptoms develop rapidly, while Type 2 symptoms may appear gradually. Many people have no symptoms initially, which is why screening is important.
Diagnosis involves blood tests measuring fasting glucose, HbA1c levels, and glucose tolerance. Regular monitoring typically includes fasting glucose tests and HbA1c measurements every 3-6 months. Continuous glucose monitors provide real-time tracking for better diabetes management.
Effective management includes regular physical activity (150+ minutes weekly), maintaining healthy weight, following a balanced diet with whole grains and lean proteins, managing stress, and getting adequate sleep. These changes can significantly improve blood sugar control and reduce complications.
Consult a healthcare provider if you experience signs of diabetes, have a family history, are overweight, or are over 45. Those with existing diabetes should maintain regular check-ups every 3-6 months to monitor control and adjust treatment as needed.
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