BP and cholesterol

[Sharron1]

Hi,
A question that I have been thinking about and am sure someone can give me an answer. Why is high BP and cholestrol worse for diabetics than non diabetics?

 

[Vonny]

I look forward to the replies @Sharron1, I'd like to know the same myself!

 

[Annette&Bert]

It is because high blood pressure and higher levels of cholesterol can make you more vulnerable to heart disease, stroke and other heart related conditions which are more important to everyone, but diabetics are more at risk, because diabetes itself makes you a higher risk.

 

[Sharron1]

It is because high blood pressure and higher levels of cholesterol can make you more vulnerable to heart disease, stroke and other heart related conditions which are more important to everyone, but diabetics are more at risk, because diabetes itself makes you a higher risk.

 

[Sharron1]

Thanks. I did wonder if that could be the reason

 

[Vonny]

Thanks @Annette&Bertie. Do you happen to know if that's the case even with an hba1c of <42? Thanks.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. I wonder how much of this is based on good science? There seems to be an assumption that having diabetes makes you more vulnerable to almost anything. If your BS is very badly controlled that may be true but I suspect if managed well it makes very little difference to your susceptibility.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Hi,
A question that I have been thinking about and am sure someone can give me an answer. Why is high BP and cholestrol worse for diabetics than non diabetics?

FWIW, I get the impression that diabetes is seen as an independent risk factor for CV disease - so making it more important to get BP and cholesterol under control. I think nobody is exactly sure why, although it's likely that chronically high BG can screw up the functioning of arteries.

Impact of Diabetes on Cardiovascular Disease: An Update - PMC

Cardiovascular diseases are the most prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The proposed mechanisms that can link accelerated atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk in this population are ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cardiovascular diseases are the most prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The proposed mechanisms that can link accelerated atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk in this population are poorly understood. It has been suggested that an association between hyperglycemia and intracellular metabolic changes can result in oxidative stress, low-grade inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I get the feeling (quite where from I am not entirely sure, but a variety of studies and articles I’ve come across over the last 5 years) that increasingly heart disease risk is being connected with arterial inflammation, and I gather that elevated and erratic BG are thought to be inflammatory.

 

[Annette&Bert]

Hi. I wonder how much of this is based on good science? There seems to be an assumption that having diabetes makes you more vulnerable to almost anything. If your BS is very badly controlled that may be true but I suspect if managed well it makes very little difference to your susceptibility.

not according to most GPs.

 

[Annette&Bert]

FWIW, I get the impression that diabetes is seen as an independent risk factor for CV disease - so making it more important to get BP and cholesterol under control. I think nobody is exactly sure why, although it's likely that chronically high BG can screw up the functioning of arteries.

Impact of Diabetes on Cardiovascular Disease: An Update - PMC

Cardiovascular diseases are the most prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The proposed mechanisms that can link accelerated atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk in this population are ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cardiovascular diseases are the most prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The proposed mechanisms that can link accelerated atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk in this population are poorly understood. It has been suggested that an association between hyperglycemia and intracellular metabolic changes can result in oxidative stress, low-grade inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction.

Let’s be frank, it can screw up everything. How many timesbdo we hear diabetes affects every major organ in our bodies!

 

[Annette&Bert]

Thanks @Annette&Bertie. Do you happen to know if that's the case even with an hba1c of <42? Thanks.

Well that’s a good number, but you are still diabetic, aren’t you. Congratulations on the weight loss too.

 

[Annette&Bert]

In the 1980s my GP practice started their well woman/man clinics where everything was tested. At that time the British Heart Foundation recommended that a good Cholesterol reading should be 6 or less. Mine was 5 and it continued to be 5 annually, therefore my GP was very pleased telling me that some people naturally have good cholesterol, others don’t depending on many factors.

Fast forward to my 2016 diagnoses, which floored me at the time that I was diabetic, since then my cholesterol is still unchanged and remained at 5 but my GP said he wanted me to take 20mg daily of Atorvastatin. I asked him why because it had always been low until he suggested the statin, he said the reason was quite straight forward that when you are diabetic they prefer your cholesterol to be less than 5.

 

[Maca44]

Cholesterol results confuse me as there are several but the measure of total HDL is what, both good and bad together ?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Cholesterol results confuse me as there are several but the measure of total HDL is what, both good and bad together ?

As far as I understand it, total cholesterol comprises HDL, LDL and Triglycerides.

Where the component parts are reported the trigs and HDL are measured, but the LDL is calculated using a formula.

 

[Sharron1]

Thanks, it was a random thought whuch I can see others also wondered about.

 

[DaveB]

not according to most GPs.

So? I'm afraid many GPs know very little about diabetes, and I've experienced that, so I'm still looking for the science behind it.

 

[Sharron1]

In the 1980s my GP practice started their well woman/man clinics where everything was tested. At that time the British Heart Foundation recommended that a good Cholesterol reading should be 6 or less. Mine was 5 and it continued to be 5 annually, therefore my GP was very pleased telling me that some people naturally have good cholesterol, others don’t depending on many factors.

Fast forward to my 2016 diagnoses, which floored me at the time that I was diabetic, since then my cholesterol is still unchanged and remained at 5 but my GP said he wanted me to take 20mg daily of Atorvastatin. I asked him why because it had always been low until he suggested the statin, he said the reason was quite straight forward that when you are diabetic they prefer your cholesterol to be less than 5.

Hi, I didn't realise that Hba1c numbers could go as low as yours. Impressive.

 

[grovesy]

Hi, I didn't realise that Hba1c numbers could go as low as yours. Impressive.

I think you will find they are the % HBA1C numbers that 8% is 64 .

 

[Annette&Bert]

Guys for some reason my GP practice only ever use the old numbering system, I have no idea why. However, if you look at my signature you will notice my last was in 2019, my next blood tests were due in May or June 2020 but we were in lockdown so I am still waiting to have my bloods done, and we are now into March ‘21.
I am not pleased about this, but I also know I am not alone!