As of May 2020, there are nearly four (4) million reported cases of diabetes in the Philippines.1 Yet, many Filipinos living with diabetes don’t know about their increased risk for heart disease.2
Patients with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to develop heart disease.3
Over time, uncontrolled high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and nerves leading to the heart.3
This can ultimately raise blood pressure levels.3
Having diabetes can also increase the level of bad cholesterol and decrease the level of good cholesterol.4
All these factors increase the risk for heart disease in patients with diabetes.4
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death for patients with diabetes.5
25% of patients with diabetes have died from a heart attack.6
13% of patients with diabetes have died from stroke related to diabetes.6
References: 1https://idf.org/our-network/regions-members/western-pacific/members/116-the-philippines.html. | 2Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes: Has the Dawn of a New Era Arrived? Diabetes Care. 2017 Jul; 40(7): 813–820. | 3World Heart Federation. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors. Last accessed September 9, 2019. | 4American Heart Association. Cholesterol Abnormalities and Diabetes. Last September 9, 2019. | 5Morrish NJ et al. Mortality and cause of death in the WHO multinational study of vascular disease in diabetes. Diabetologia 2001: 44: S14-S21 | 6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease and Stroke: At a Glance , 2016.
