PREDIABETES COMPLICATIONS
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
MALAYSIA’S NUMBER 1 KILLER
Cardiovascular diseases are commonly referred to as
heart disease and stroke.
SHOW ME STATISTIC
Cardiovascular disease is still the number 1 killer in Malaysia4.
Almost one in every four deaths is caused by cardiovascular disease4.
Cardiovascular disease doesn’t happen only to older adults. This is partly because underlying conditions, like prediabetes, are happening at younger ages.
People with prediabetes are 15% more likely to have cardiovascular diseases 5. If someone has a history of cardiovascular disease, this percentage increases to 37%5.
People with prediabetes are 25% more likely to have a heart attack compared to people with healthy blood sugar levels6.
People with prediabetes are 45% more likely to need procedures to open up their clogged heart arteries, and 200% more likely to need heart bypass surgery to create a new path for their blood flow6.
Why does prediabetes lead to
cardiovascular
disease?
High sugar levels in the blood for long periods of time can slowly damage the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart, and the nerves that control the heart.
Prediabetes and cardiovascular disease have coinciding conditions: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol (“bad”) levels, and high triglycerides.
High sugar levels in the blood for long periods of time can slowly damage the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart, and the nerves that control the heart.
Prediabetes and cardiovascular disease have coinciding conditions: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol (“bad”) levels, and high triglycerides.
WHAT ARE THE
MAJOR
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
RELATED
TO
PREDIABETES?6
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES RELATED TO PREDIABETES?6
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the process when fatty plaque builds up in the artery walls and causes the arteries to become narrow and limit blood flow to vital organs. Near the heart, it can result in coronary artery disease and heart attack. In the brain, it will result in stroke.
This condition takes years to build up, starting as early as during childhood6.
Fact
The single most important culprit of this condition is smoking and even second-hand smoke6!
CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD)
50 people in Malaysia die from coronary artery disease (also commonly known as ischemic heart disease) every day – the top cause of sudden cardiac death and death in general6. For some people, the first sign of CAD is a heart attack, when the chance of survival and recovery is slim7.
HEART ATTACK
Malaysians in their 20s and 30s are suffering from heart attacks (medically known as myocardial infarction). On average, about 140 persons for every 100,000 people will suffer from a heart attack during their lifetime.
Heart attack happens in a matter of just minutes, so receiving medical attention within 60 minutes of the first symptoms is crucial to survival and recovery. Approximately half of the individuals who succumb to heart attacks do so within the critical first hour, commonly known as the "golden hour," before they can receive medical care at a hospital.
What makes treatment tricky is that people who have high blood sugar (prediabetes and diabetes) may have no symptoms or very mild ones9.
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
Despite its name, congestive heart failure does not mean the heart has completely failed. It is a state when the heart does not pump blood well enough to meet what the body needs.
Life expectancy varies widely depending on age, stage of condition, and heart function9. Of all people with this condition, over 50% will survive for five years while around 35% will survive for ten years10.
Fact
Heart attacks and coronary heart disease are among the contributing factors that may weaken the heart muscle and ultimately result in heart failure.
If you feel any of these common symptoms10, call 999 immediately to prevent further damage to your heart, brain, and blood vessels.
STAY ON TOP OF YOUR HEART HEALTH
Early detection, treatment, and medication of prediabetes and cardiovascular disease offer the best chance for a healthier life.
Even if prediabetes never progresses to diabetes, prediabetes can significantly raise anyone’s chance of having a cardiovascular disease11.
Learn about your prediabetes risk and take the steps
you
need
to protect your heart.
The information contained herein develop in collaboration with Dr Noorfaizan Saaidin,
Consultant Cardiologist,
KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital
References:
1. Harvard Health Publishing (2013). 10 myths about heart disease. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/10-myths-about-heart-disease.
2. Harvard T.H. Chan (n.d.) Types of Fat. The President and Fellows of Harvard College. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types-of-fat/.
3. Cardio Metabolic Institute (n.d.) What’s behind the rise in heart attacks among young people? Blog. https://www.cminj.com/blog/whats-behind-the-rise-in-heart-attacks-among-young-people.
4. Umadevan, D. (2020). What is a heart attack? Columbia Asia. https://www.columbiaasia.com/malaysia/health-articles/what-is-a-heart-attack.
5. The BMJ (2020). Prediabetes linked to increase risk of heart disease and death. https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/
prediabetes-linked-to-increased-risk-of-heart-disease-and-death/.
6. Endocrine Society (2022). Study finds strong association between prediabetes and heart attack risk. https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2022/study-finds-strong-association-between-prediabetes-and-heart-attack-risk.
7. Brannick, B. & Dagogo-Jack, S. (2018). Prediabetes and cardiovascular disease: Pathophysiology and interventions for prevention and risk reduction. Endocrinology and metabolism clinics of North America, 47(1), 33-50. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecl.2017.10.001. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC5806140/.
8. Ramakrishnan, N. A. L. (2020). More Malaysians are suffering heart attacks at a younger age. Columbia Asia. https://www.columbiaasia.com/malaysia/health-articles/more-malaysians-are-suffering-heart-attacks-at-a-younger-age.
9. Bernama. (2019). Heart disease kills 50 Malaysians every day. New Straits Time. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/11/
541868/heart-disease-kills-50-malaysians-every-day.
10. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Coronary Artery Disease. Heart Disease. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/
coronary_ad.htm#print.
11. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. (2011). Don’t Take a Chance With a Heart Attack: Know the Facts and Act Fast. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/
heart_attack_fs_en.pdf.
12. Johnson, J. (2022). How long can you live with congestive heart failure? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321538.
13. Mayo Clinic (n.d.). Heart disease. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353118.
14. American College of Cardiology. (2021). Prediabetes may not be as benign as once thought. https://www.acc.org/about-acc/press-releases/2021/05/04/18/27/prediabetes-may-not-be-as-benign-as-once-thought.
Approval Code: MY-NOND-00136
