The European Society of Cardiology is so concerned about the dangerous links between diabetes type two and cardiovascular disease that it’s designated the 14th November World Diabetes Day. Watch the video to know more about the links between diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
TRANSCRIPT- The links between diabetes and cardiovascular disease
VOICEOVER/PRESENTER: Fareha Lasker, FL
INTERVIEWEE: Deepa Khatri, Clinical Adviser, Diabetes UK, DK
FL:
Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Do you urinate frequently? You may have too much sugar in your blood. 2.6 million people have been diagnosed in the UK with type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body cannot make enough insulin or is resistant to it. It is estimated that 500,00 people have it but are undiagnosed. One of the main causes is an unhealthy lifestyle. Research by the European Society of Cardiology shows that people with type two diabetes are 5 times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. In reality, these people can expect to live 7-10 years less than their healthy counterparts.
According to Diabetes UK, the largest charity organisation in the country working for people with the disease, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are both silent killers and interlinked.
DK:
If u have cardiovascular disease it does increase the risk of you getting… developing type 2 diabetes and if you have type 2 diabetes you are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease so there is definitely a link there.
FL:
50% of diabetics die from heart attacks. Some of the risk factors that link the two include an excess of cholesterol, increased blood pressure and obesity.
DK:
Well, obesity is very strongly linked with type 2 diabetes, erm cos its one of the risk factors. Now, among the you know… err among the… among… well the other risk factors are erm, age. With increasing age it’s…erm… you can get… erm diabetes, type two diabetes. Erm, other risk factors are ethnicity, so if you’re from a South Asian or Black background then you’re at higher risk. Erm, also if you have family history, so if you have a close family member with type two diabetes. Erm and also like we mentioned, obesity and increased weight, er waist circumference increases the risk.
FL:
The European Society of Cardiology hopes that by making the 14th of November World Diabetes Day they can raise awareness about both diseases.
DK:
Diabetes UK would recommend everyone at risk of developing diabetes, everybody that has diabetes to follow a diet that’s healthy, balanced, low in saturated fat, sugar, salt. Include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and take plenty of physical activity. If you do reduce your weight and reduce your waist circumference then you do reduce your risk of developing type two diabetes. And those are the risk factors that u can change, like age and ethnicity you can’t but your weight is something that you can change about yourself.
FL:
Experts such as cardiologist see diabetes prevention as one of the greatest health concerns today. Healthcare providers are facing a massive challenge due to the cost of the treatment. Of the NHS budget, a million pounds is spent every hour on this disease alone. The greatest concern is that by the year 2050 there will be 330 million people that are diabetic worldwide.
For Elements Science, this is Fareha Lasker.
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