High stroke risk in type 2 diabetes

German Diabetes Society: Diabetes Type 2 patients are at an increased risk of stroke

Patients suffering from type 2 diabetes (colloquially diabetes) have an increased risk of stroke. A recent communication from the German Diabetes Association (DDG) points to this connection. Especially younger patients and women with type 2 diabetes have a special risk of suffering a stroke. Additional indicators such as high blood pressure, unhealthy lifestyle (no exercise, smoking and obesity) and increased blood fat levels increase the risk of stroke. Stroke is not only the second most common cause of death worldwide, but also the most common cause of permanent disability for patients.

4.7 times higher risk in women
The risk of stroke is 4.7 times higher in the age groups of 35- to 54-year-old men and 8.2 times higher in women. Diabetes mellitus even doubles the risk of another stroke. Patients may die as a result of a stroke.

According to the German Diabetes Society, not only high blood sugar levels are responsible for this. Likewise, high blood pressure, high blood lipid levels and an unhealthy Western lifestyle play a special risk role. Very dangerous are combinations of high long-term blood sugar levels, a "HbA1c value" of over 8 percent and a blood pressure value of over 150 mm HG. Patients then have a 13-fold risk of suffering a stroke.

Diabetes therapies that only lower blood glucose levels can not alone reduce the risk of stroke. "Even ideal values ​​do not reduce the risk of stroke if the accompanying risk factors are not resolved," says Rainer Lundershausen, spokesman for the German Diabtes Gesellschaft. For this reason, further therapy measures should be taken. For example, the upper blood pressure value should be lowered by 10 mm Hg. This could reduce stroke risk by 40 percent. The goal of the therapy must be to reduce the resting blood pressure to 130 to 80 mm HG.

What can patients do??
"Diabetes mellitus type 2 is one of the few diseases that can literally run away", Dr. Gerhard Huber, from the Institute for Sports and Sports Science of the University of Heidelberg. This means that sports and healthy eating are important aspects to greatly reduce risk factors. Patients should definitely abandon the idea of ​​using medication alone to treat the disease. Only by significantly changing your lifestyle can you significantly reduce the risk of stroke. (sb, 01.02.2010)

High blood pressure (hypertension)
Diabetes is not a fate