Scientists from Saint Peter’s University Hospital found that prediabetes appears to be a strong risk factor for heart attacks.
The research was presented at the Endocrine Society 2022 annual meeting and was conducted by Kavin Raj et al.
Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes.
People with prediabetes are more prone to develop diabetes.
While diabetes is known to cause serious health conditions such as heart attacks, stroke, and kidney problems, the link between prediabetes and heart problems has not been well established.
In the study, the team analyzed data from 1.79 million hospitalizations of patients who had a heart attack. Of these patients, 1% had prediabetes.
After adjusting for risk factors for heart disease, the team found prediabetes was linked to 25% increased odds of a heart attack, compared with patients without prediabetes.
Those with prediabetes also were at a 45% increased risk for having percutaneous intervention (a heart treatment to open blocked blood vessels) and almost double the risk of having heart bypass surgery.
The findings reinforce the importance of early recognition by screening and early intervention of prediabetes by lifestyle changes and/or medications to decrease the risk of cardiovascular events.
The team says this study serves as a wake-up to everyone to shift the focus to managing prediabetes, not just diabetes.
They encourage everyone to make lifestyle changes, follow a healthy diet, and regular exercise for at least 150 minutes each week in patients with prediabetes to decrease the risk of heart attacks.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about diets that could improve health in people with diabetes, and the diabetes drug metformin may reverse liver inflammation.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about nutrients that could help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, and results showing these two diabetes drugs can spike heart attack risk.
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