Study finds diabetic women at greater risk of heart disease

Ask any medical professional what they believe are the most significant health issues facing Americans today and there is a very good chance that the overwhelming majority will list Type 2 diabetes.

This makes perfect sense when you consider the staggering rates of obesity here in the U.S., and just how debilitating -- and potentially deadly -- Type 2 diabetes can prove to be to those diagnosed with the condition.

By way of illustration, consider a recently published study in the European medical journal Diabetologia that set out to examine the rates of coronary heart disease among men and women suffering from Type 2 diabetes.

After performing what is known as a meta-analysis, meaning the gathering and examination of results from other research efforts, the researchers discovered that women diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes were actually 44 percent more likely than men diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes to develop coronary heart disease, which is well documented as the leading cause of death among all Americans.

Similarly, the researchers found that women diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes were also 44 percent more likely to die of coronary heart disease.

As if this wasn't shocking enough, the same researchers found in an earlier published study that women diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes were also 25 percent more likely to suffer a stroke than men diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

Regarding the elevated risk of developing and dying from coronary heart disease, the researchers theorize that it can likely be traced to the prediabetic period, which is essentially that timeframe in which a person's blood sugar levels are above the normal threshold but not yet high enough to fit the medical definition of diabetes.

They theorize that during the prediabetic period, women are generally heavier than men and present advanced risk factors for heart disease (poor cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, etc.) that can go untreated or otherwise unrecognized by physicians.

Accordingly, the researchers call on physicians to be more vigilant about screening for prediabetes in women, and to take the necessary aggressive actions such as medications and even lifestyle counseling.

It should be noted, however, that the researchers also conceded that undertreatment by physicians is likely only one piece of the puzzle. Indeed, other studies have proven time again how valuable exercise can be in combating the onset of Type 2 diabetes.  

If you have found yourself diagnosed with diabetes despite your best efforts or another condition that has left you unable to work, it's important not to panic and to understand that you do have options for securing the necessary financial support. A dedicated legal professional can explain how the Social Security disability system works and guide you through the process of seeking benefits.

Source: The Los Angeles Times, "Diabetic women much likelier than men to develop heart disease," Melissa Healy, May 22, 2014