How Diabetes Increases the Risk of a Stroke

While often confused with a heart attack, a stroke is different. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced or blocked, resulting in damage or death to the heart tissue. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). Because part of the brain cannot get blood and oxygen it needs, brain cells die.

There are two types of strokes:

• Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by a blood vessel rupturing causing blood to leak into or around the brain.
• Ischemic strokes result from clot obstructing the flow of blood to the brain.

According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States.[1]  Knowing the signs of a stroke can mean the difference between life and disability and death. Some symptoms may come and go but still it is important to understand them and call 9ll right away if you experience them: [2]

• Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg — especially on one side of the body. An example of a stroke may be if one arms begins to fall, or if the mouth droops when trying to smile.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking (words may slur), or understanding speech.
• Sudden problems seeing in one eye or both eyes. Vision may be blurred or blackened or someone may see double.
• Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or trouble walking.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause. The headache may be accompanied by vomiting, dizziness and a change in consciousness.

Other danger signs that may occur include double vision, drowsiness, and nausea or vomiting

Diabetes stroke risk factors

Diabetes stroke risk is greater than if you do not have the disease. The American Stroke Association reports diabetes stroke risk connections include: [3]

·         Adults who have diabetes are two times as likely to have a stroke compared to people who do not have diabetes.

·         People with diabetes tend to develop heart disease or have a stroke at an earlier age than people without diabetes.

·         People with prediabetes have an increased risk not only for developing Type 2 diabetes, but also for heart disease and stroke.

·         Every two minutes an American adult with diabetes is hospitalized for stroke.

The reason for the increased diabetes stroke risk is because having diabetes means that your body cannot make insulin or it cannot use insulin correctly. This causes glucose buildup in the blood. Over time, glucose damages the linings of both big and small arteries. In response, the arteries layer on plaque, a condition called atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. The condition can cause strokes, heart attacks and prevent oxygen from getting to the legs and feet. (The latter condition is called peripheral artery disease (PAD) and left untreated can lead to gangrene and amputation.)

Other diabetes stroke risk factors include:[4]

• Diabetes or prediabetes
• Excessive belly fat:
• Men: waist more than 40 inches
• Women: waist more than 35 inches
• High blood glucose levels
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Cigarette smoking

Diabetes stroke symptoms

They are the same symptoms as any other stroke: [5]

• Any trouble talking
• Dizziness, problems with balance or trouble walking
• Severe, sudden headache
• Sudden confusion
• Trouble seeing or double vision
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body (for example, one side of the face, one arm or one leg)

Steps to diagnose a stroke

To confirm a stroke, a healthcare provider will:[6]

• Check if you can move your face muscles, arms and legs.
• Ask simple questions or ask you to describe an object or picture to help determine if you are thinking clearly.
• Order tests a CT scan or MRI of your brain
• Use other tests to examine your heart (electrocardiogram) or blood vessels (ultrasound or arteriogram).

Diabetes stroke treatment and recovery options

Some treatments that can help if a stroke is identified early are:[7]

·         Use of drugs to break up clots. They dissolve the clot clogging the artery and can restore blood flow to brain tissue. But they are not for all patients.

·         Placing a stent in a blood vessel through surgery to open it and increase blood flow (carotid stenting)

·         Surgically removing plaque from inside the carotid artery, which supplies much blood to the brain. (carotid endarterectomy)

Make lifestyle changes to lower diabetic stroke risk

Check your blood glucose level often: Take steps to keep it within a healthy range (less than 140 mg/dL).

Follow a diabetes-friendly diet: The key to healthy eating, according to the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) [8]  is to eat a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups in the amount established in a diabetes meal plan specific to your needs.  The food groups are vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, and dairy (nonfat or low fat). You will also want to eat food with heart-healthy fats, which come from:

• oils that are liquid at room temperature, such as canola and olive oil
• nuts and seeds
• heart-healthy fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel
• avocado

At the same time, limit fried foods and other foods high in saturated and trans fats, foods high in salt, sweets, and beverages with added sugars.

Regularly exercise: Regular exercise also can lower blood pressure and triglyceride (fat) levels. Harvard Health also points out that for people with diabetes, exercise has the added benefit of lowering blood glucose levels and boosting the body’s sensitivity to insulin to counter insulin resistance. [9]

Limit alcohol consumption: When it comes to consuming alcohol, exercise caution, keeping in mind that alcohol not only affects the liver’s job to regulate blood sugars; it also can interact with medications you take to control the disease.

Quit or avoid smoking: Smoking increases the risk of stroke because it causes inflammation and damage to the blood vessels and can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries. This makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. Smoking also impacts circulation by constricting small arteries.[10]

Get help with obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol: They are diabetes stroke risk factors

Stay on top of managing the disease: Attend all medical appointments and the treatment plan for diabetes management set by your health care team

Diabetes significantly increases the risk of having a stroke. Follow the steps to avoid this happening by managing your diabetes and working closely with your health care team.