Page 2 - Diabetic

Fit & Proper: If you are diabetic, take care of your heart

Jaynish (name changed), a 38-year-old investment banker, was diagnosed with diabetes four years ago. Due to his failure to respond to three oral antidiabetic drugs, he was prescribed four shots of insulin a day and was on these for over a year. In the past year, he complained of shortness of breath on exertion and swelling around the ankles. He was diagnosed with heart disease and was immediately started on medications for high blood pressure and cholesterol. Though he made major changes in his lifestyle, which improved his glucose control, the insulin shots continued to interfere with his professional and personal life. Heart disease is the No 1 cause of death among people with Type 2 diabetes. There is also striking evidence that diabetes is related to obesity. Among Indians, particularly, the problem of central obesity, or fat deposition around the stomach area, is high. This central obesity is largely responsible for poor glucose control and also has a direct link to heart disease.