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Bumisuka.com – Why Diabetes Increases Stroke Risk. The problem with blood flow in a stroke causes brain cells to not get enough oxygen. Therefore, strokes need to get treatment as soon as possible in the hospital so that brain cell damage does not expand.
There are various factors that increase the risk of stroke, one of which is diabetes mellitus. Why does diabetes increase the risk of stroke? Here’s the explanation!
1. Get to know diabetes
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that diabetes is a chronic or long-term condition that affects the way the body converts food into energy.
Normally, the body breaks down most food into glucose and releases it into the bloodstream. When blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas produces the hormone insulin. The presence of insulin makes the sugar that was originally in the blood can enter the cells to be used by the body’s cells as energy.
However, in people with diabetes, the body is not able to produce enough insulin or the body cannot use insulin as it should. As a result, sugar stays in the bloodstream.
2. Diabetes increases the risk of stroke
Diabetes is a condition when blood sugar levels rise above normal values. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that diabetes is the main cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, and strokes. Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
Adults with diabetes have two to three times the risk of having a heart attack and stroke. In addition, the American Heart Association (AHA) explains that diabetic patients tend to develop heart disease or stroke earlier than people without diabetes.
3. Why does diabetes increase the risk of stroke?
High sugar levels in people with diabetes increase that person’s risk of having a stroke. According to the CDC, diabetes causes high blood sugar levels and can reduce oxygen and nutrients reaching various parts of the body, including the brain.
On the other hand, diabetic patients also generally experience high blood pressure or hypertension. High blood pressure is the main cause of the increased risk of stroke in people with diabetes.
Reported by the Stroke Association, high sugar levels in the blood can damage blood vessels. High sugar levels make blood vessels that were originally elastic become stiff.
In addition, high sugar levels can lead to a buildup of fat in the walls of blood vessels. These changes can trigger the appearance of blood clots or clots. When a blood clot travels to the brain, it can block it, causing a stroke.
4. Stroke causes some areas of the brain not to get oxygen
Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to or within the brain. A stroke can occur when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain becomes blocked by a blood clot. Reduced blood flow deprives the brain area of oxygen so brain cells die.
The brain is a complex organ that regulates various body functions. When a stroke occurs and blood flow cannot reach the areas of the brain that regulate certain body functions, certain body parts cannot function as they should. The effects of a stroke depend on the location of the damage and how large the area of the brain is affected.
5. How to lower the risk of stroke
Stroke is a dangerous and deadly condition. Even so, the risk of stroke can be lowered by controlling the factors that can influence it. As the AHA explains, if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it’s important to control your blood sugar levels.
Various other steps to reduce the risk of stroke include:
- Do not smoke.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Maintain blood cholesterol levels.
- Controlling blood pressure.
Diabetes can increase the risk of stroke because uncontrolled blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels so that blood vessels become stiff. High sugar levels can also cause fat to build up on the walls of blood vessels. This condition can trigger the appearance of blood clots that can block blood flow to the brain, increasing the risk of stroke.
