Cholesterol-lowering Diabetics calcify vessels faster

Lower elevated blood lipid levels: In diabetes, down with the cholesterol

Diabetics have a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease than people without diabetes. The vessels calcify much faster in them than in healthy people. A change in diet can lower elevated cholesterol levels. But some patients also need medication.

Higher risk of cardiovascular disease

According to the German Association for Health Information and Consumer Protection (BGV), diabetics have a two to four times higher risk of cardiovascular disease than people without diabetes, in women the risk is even six times higher. The main cause of this is atherosclerosis, a calcification of the vessels. According to study results, this is on average significantly more pronounced in diabetes patients and progressing faster than in metabolic health. To prevent serious cardiovascular disease, sufferers should effectively lower elevated blood lipid levels.

People with diabetes need to keep an eye on their cholesterol levels. Because with them the vessels calcify much faster than in healthy people. (Image: Kzenon / fotolia.com)

People with type 2 diabetes are at particular risk

As the BGM writes in a communication, people with type 2 diabetes, so-called old-age diabetes, are particularly at risk.

They usually have other factors in the form of a metabolic syndrome: overweight, poor blood lipid levels and high blood pressure.

The elevated blood sugar is therefore not alone, but these diseases of civilization mutually reinforce each other in their effect and thus increase the risk of atherosclerosis quite considerably.

Lower blood lipid levels

The main focus should be on patients' LDL cholesterol: if there is too much free LDL cholesterol in the blood, it will settle on the walls of the blood vessels, narrowing and hardening them.

In type 2 diabetes, the LDL cholesterol level is often only slightly increased. Because LDL cholesterol is present in the form of small, especially vascular-damaging particles, it is still dangerous and must be lowered consistently.

A healthy diet, no smoking and lots of exercise works only to a limited extent - unlike the triglycerides, which are also among the vascular-damaging blood lipids.

In order to reduce their high risk of heart attack and stroke, patients with diabetes therefore need additional medicines that bring the LDL cholesterol value as low as possible.

For more information on the relationship between cholesterol and cardiovascular disease and practical tips for healthy lifestyles, see the brochure "Effectively lower cholesterol". (Ad)