One of the most common diseases among adults is diabetes and heart disease. Although these two diseases are separate and different from each other, they are often interrelated. How so? Those with diabetes have a higher risk of getting heart complications and illnesses. That being said, people with diabetes are more likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes, both of which can be fatal.
Since these diseases and complications are more apparent to older adults, families of loved ones who have diabetes and heart disease seek assistance from home health services. Home Health ensures that their loved ones get the proper care, treatment, and attention they need to manage the disease.
Whether you have a loved one with diabetes or heart disease or if you want to be more aware of these health risks, keep reading — it pays to be informed. Here’s everything you need to know about diabetes and heart disease and how they’re connected.
What Is Diabetes?
When our body digests food, the ingredients break down into glucose or sugars. After that, our pancreas produces insulin which helps these sugars enter the body to create energy. But when you have insufficient insulin production, you most likely have diabetes.
Sugar buildup in the blood, and when it’s poorly managed, can create further complications with your diabetes, which could lead to heart disease, nerve damage, kidney failure, and even amputations.
Unfortunately, even when you manage your diabetes, the chances are that your disease may still progress, and your symptoms can be more uncontrollable. End-stage diabetes often means that your loved one has already acquired other illnesses like heart disease, reducing their life expectancy to less than half a year.
For this reason, getting home health services or hospice care is ideal for helping control the patient’s symptoms, allowing them to live a more comfortable life with the time they have left.
What Is Heart Disease?
The term ‘heart disease’ can be used to refer to various conditions related to the heart, and one of its most common forms is coronary artery disease or CAD. When you have CAD, you have a decreased blood flow to the heart, leading to heart failure, arrhythmia, heart attack, or even stroke.
According to medical professionals, physical exercise and healthy eating are the best ways to prevent and manage heart disease. Those with this disease are often prescribed medications to help control symptoms and prevent critical and fatal complications.
Like diabetes, those at the end-stage of heart disease may also need hospice care as their health declines or if they’re on their road to recovery.
How Are Diabetes and Heart Disease Connected?
Diabetes and the development of heart disease have a direct link between both conditions. This is because, with diabetes, you tend to have an increased amount of high blood glucose, which could damage the blood vessels and nerves of your heart. Unfortunately, even with glucose level checks, other diabetic complications may still arise and contribute to heart disease development.
Besides that, some symptoms of diabetes, such as high blood pressure, vessels, and nerves of your heart. Not to mention, those with diabetes already have poor cardiovascular health due to obesity and lack of physical exercise. For this reason, it’s imperative that patients eat a healthy diet and put in some physical activity daily to prevent heart-related complications.
How Can Hospice Care Help?
When dealing with diabetes on its own, it won’t usually meet the hospice eligibility criteria. However, you might qualify for hospice care if your diabetes is accompanied by another disease, such as heart disease.
Suppose the doctor determines that the patient’s life expectancy is less than six months. In that case, some symptoms and illnesses may be much harder to control, especially when there is another disease present.
This is why having home health and hospice care helps both the patient and their family by providing various services that target their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
The Bottom Line: Diabetes and Heart Disease Are Two Complicated Conditions That Need Close Monitoring
Now that you know how diabetes and heart disease relate to each other. It’s best to get assistance from hospice care services to ensure that your loved one stays safe and healthy, confidently battling these conditions.
Are You Looking for Senior Health Services in California?
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