People who have diabetes-related atherosclerosis in their coronary arteries sometimes suffer what is called silent ischemia or silent heart attack. Silent, in this case, means without typical pain because neuropathy, or nerve damage, is a result of uncontrolled diabetes. These people will not feel many sensations of touch, vibration, heat, cold or pain, and this may also include the expected pain of a heart attack. When there is damage to the autonomic nervous system, signals that should be sent to the brain to regulate heart rate and blood pressure are blocked. Early diagnosis and learning how to monitor and control the disease are key to avoiding complications down the road.
Diabetics respond to almost the same health regimen that helps heart patients recover.
A specially tailored exercise regimen can lower triglycerides and blood glucose, heighten sensitivity to insulin and lower blood pressure. When a person begins aerobic exercise, muscle glycogen is the primary fuel. After five to 10 minutes, glucose uptake from blood is seven to 20 times the resting rate, depending upon how strenuous the exercise is and diabetics can benefit from this uptake. If there are other diabetics in your immediate family or if you are more than 20 percent over your ideal body weight, schedule a physical examination as soon as possible. There is no cure for diabetes, but with careful monitoring and commitment, diabetics can avoid complications and enjoy a long, productive life.