Can High Blood Sugar Cause Chest Pain

Angina And Chest Pain Hidden By Neuropathy

Coronary heart disease occurs when the space inside your coronary arteries narrows, reducing blood flow to your heart muscle . A buildup of plaque, or fatty deposits, is the most common cause. If freshly oxygenated blood cannot reach your heart, heart tissue can die, causing . The risk of coronary heart disease also rises with the risk factors listed for heart attacks.

Angina is often the first sign of restricted blood flow to the heart. Oftentimes, a person without neuropathy feels the intermittent and seeks help from their doctor to find out what is wrong. However, if neuropathy blocks sensation and you cannot feel the angina, the first sign of heart trouble may be when one or more of your coronary arteries is completely blocked. The lack of blood flow to the heart causes a heart attack.

Since you may not feel pain associated with angina, a heart attack may be very sudden, seemingly without warning, making it a silent heart attack. If you experience any of the following symptoms, and tell the operator you think you are having a heart attack:

• Sudden without physical exertion

• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded

Diabetes And Your Heart

You can lower your risk for heart disease with lifestyle changes.

Diabetes and heart disease often go hand in hand. Learn how to protect your heart with simple lifestyle changes that can also help you manage diabetes.

Heart disease is very common and serious. Its the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. If you have diabetes, youre twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke than someone who doesnt have diabetesand at a younger age. The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to have heart disease.

But the good news is that you can lower your risk for heart disease and improve your heart health by changing certain lifestyle habits. Those changes will help you manage diabetes better too.

Natural Treatment For Chest Pain

Some underlying causes of chest pain will require medical attention and even surgery. There are also natural treatments that can reduce the risk of chest pain and help relieve symptoms. If you are at risk for heart conditions, these natural ingredients can help protect your heart.

Chromium: Chest pain is a symptom of a heart attack. Conditions such as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure increase the risk of a heart attack. Both high blood pressure and high cholesterol can be naturally treated with chromium.Niacin: Also known as vitamin B3, niacin is essential for heart health. Niacin works to naturally lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and stabilize blood glucose levels. High blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose all increase the risk for heart disease, of which chest pain is a major symptom. Capsicum extract: This fruit extract is proven to enhance circulation and improve the health of blood vessels. Elevated blood pressure causes chest pain and can be a sign of unhealthy blood vessel circulation. By promoting blood vessel health, capsicum extract ensures that the heart tissues get the nutrients they need, which reduces your risk of heart disease. Red Yeast Rice: The key compound in red yeast rice, monacolin K, is the same ingredient found in cholesterol-lowering medications. Red yeast rice is a natural and more cost-effective way to treat high cholesterol and prevent heart disease.

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Complications Of High Blood Sugar

Diabetes is one of the main causes of high blood sugar levels, but there are other causes that can impact your blood glucose and your risk for hyperglycemia.

Hyperglycemia is the medical term for high blood sugar levels. You can have temporary spikes in blood sugar after eating a large meal or as a result of medication side effects. Chronically elevated blood sugar levels are dangerous and common in those with diabetes. Without treatment, you run the risk of a diabetic coma.

Ketoacidosis is a condition that develops when elevated blood glucose levels go untreated. Without glucose to use for fuel, your body begins to burn fat instead and produces ketones. When there are too many ketones in the blood, it will turn acidic, which can very quickly lead to ketoacidosis, a diabetic coma, and even death.

People without diabetes can develop a similar condition known as ketosis, but they can tolerate a certain level of ketones because inulin is still effectively working.

Diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome is another serious complication of high blood sugar. This is more common among individuals with type 2 diabetes and is triggered by an infection or illness.

As a result of the high blood sugar, your body tries to push out the excess glucose by passing it through your urine. Without treatment, this can result in life-threatening dehydration so prompt medical attention would be necessary.

Articles On Silent Heart Attack And Type 2 Diabetes

• How to Care for Your Heart With Type 2 Diabetes

You probably don’t think of a heart attack as the kind of thing that could happen without you even knowing it. But it can, and it’s more common than you might think.

It’s called a silent heart attack. It can happen to anyone, but diabetes makes you more likely to have one. You might not feel anything at all. Or it could feel mild, like heartburn or the odd ache or pain. It might seem so minor that you just shrug it off and think it’s just part of getting older.

But a heart attack is serious business, whether you have symptoms or not. That makes it really important to keep up with all your regular checkups. Make sure you get in tune with your body so you’re aware of subtle changes.

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Iv What’s The Evidence

Kontos. Emergency department and office based evaluation of patients with chest pain. Mayo Clin Proc. vol. 85. 2010. pp. 284-299.

Ringstrom and Freedman: Approach to undifferentiated chest pain in the emergency department. The Mount SinaiJournal of Med. vol. 73. 2006. pp. 499-505.

2015 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation, Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology . Eur Heart J. 2015.

Asha, SE, Miers, JW. A systematic review and meta-analysis of D-dimer as a rule-out test for suspected acute aortic dissection. Ann Emerg Med. vol. 66. 2015. pp. 368-78.

Masud, H, Khandaker, MD, Raul, E, Espinosa, MD, Rick, A, Nishimura, MD, Lawrence, J, Sinak, MD, Sharonne, N, Hayes, MD, Rowlens, M, Melduni, MD, Jae, K, Oh, MD. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. vol. 85. 2010. pp. 572-593.

Burris, AC, Boura, JA, Raff, GL, Chinnaiyan, KM. Triple Rule Out Versus Coronary CT Angiography in Patients with Acute Chest Pain: Results from the ACIC Consortium. JACCCardiovasc Imaging. vol. 8. 2015. pp. 817-25.

No sponsor or advertiser has participated in, approved or paid for the content provided by Decision Support in Medicine LLC. The Licensed Content is the property of and copyrighted by DSM.

Signs Of Hypoglycemic Unawareness

Some people have no symptoms of low blood sugar. The only symptom you may have is confusion. Or you may become unconscious before anyone realizes you have low blood sugar.

You may have hypoglycemic unawareness if you:

• Cannot tell by your symptoms that your blood sugar is low.
• Have low blood sugar several times a week.
• Have type 1 diabetes, or have had type 2 diabetes for a long time.

If you have hypoglycemic unawareness, test your blood sugar often, especially before activities like driving a car. Keep some glucose or sucrose tablets or solution or quick-sugar foods with you. If you take insulin, carry a glucagon emergency kit. You can also give friends and family instructions to treat low blood sugar.

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Why Does Diabetes Increase Your Risk Of Heart Disease

If you have high blood sugar levels for a period of time, even slightly high, your blood vessels can start to get damaged and this can lead to serious heart complications.

This is because your body can’t use all of this sugar properly, so more of it sticks to your red blood cells and builds up in your blood. This build-up can block and damage the vessels carrying blood to and from your heart, starving the heart of oxygen and nutrients.

So keeping as close as possible to your target HbA1c level will help protect your blood vessels and in turn your heart. Even mildly raised blood sugar levels can, over time, put you more at risk.

Be in the know about your HbA1c and how to lower it if it’s too high.

Foods High In Carbohydrates And Sugar

If you have low blood sugar , foods high in processed sugars and carbohydrates can trigger heart palpitations. These foods can force your blood sugar levels to spike, and wild swings in your blood sugar levels may increase the likelihood of experiencing palpitations. For this reason, its important to be mindful of your carb and sugar consumption if youre hypoglycemic.

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Silent Heart Attacks And Type 2 Diabetes

With commentary by Elsayed Z. Soliman, M.D., MSc., M.S., study senior author and director of the epidemiological cardiology research center at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Not all heart attacks announce themselves with Hollywood-style crushing chest pain and a drenching, cold sweat. When researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, checked the hearts and medical records of 9,498 people over nine years, they found1 nearly equal numbers of untreated, silent heart attacks and recognized heart attacks that had received medical attention.

A silent heart attack may be missed because the symptoms are mild or seem like another, less-urgent health issue such as indigestion, heartburn, the flu, fatigue or an ache-y muscle notes Elsayed Z. Soliman, M.D., MSc., M.S., study senior author and director of the epidemiological cardiology research center at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. People may also decide not to go to the hospital if theyre not sure its a heart attack, or if the hospital is far away, they dont have health insurance or are concerned about the cost of care, Dr. Soliman told EndocrineWeb.com.

B Common Pitfalls And Side

The most important point in managing these patients is not to miss any potentially life-threatening cause of chest pain. Therefore, a focused history and physical, EKG and CXR should be performed quickly, looking for clues for potentially life-threatening causes of chest pain. If any of these causes are identified, then that diagnosis and treatment must be perused.

Areas of caution

• Aortic dissection is often missed due to lack of eliciting a proper history and the results are devastating as emergent surgical intervention is required.

• Misdiagnosis of chest pain is often the result of misinterpretation of the EKG so care should be taken in reading it and early cardiology consultation should be obtained if there are any questions.

• Response to sublingual nitroglycerin or antacids is not a reliable diagnostic maneuver.

Drugs that may be used in the treatment of chest pain

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What You Need To Know About Neuropathy

You cant always avoid neuropathy, but lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk even if you have diabetes.

Keeping your blood glucose levels in a healthy range is extremely important. You can do this by maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. Also, avoid smoking and limit your alcohol intake.

If you think you may have autonomic neuropathy, watch for these symptoms:

• Dizziness or fainting when you stand
• Urinary problems like incontinence or inability to fully empty the bladder
• Sexual difficulties like erectile dysfunction or low libido
• Digestion difficulties like appetite loss, difficulty swallowing and heartburn
• Sweating too much or hardly at all
• Intolerance to exercise

If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away. Getting an early diagnosis and treatment can help slow nerve damage and repair problems. Treatment options for neuropathy may include:

• Pain medication
• Occupational therapy for coping with pain and loss of function
• Aids like braces to increase mobility and reduce pain
• Nutritional changes

If you have type 2 diabetes have your doctor screen annually for autonomic neuropathy. If you have type 1 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends annual screenings starting five years after your diagnosis.

Read more expert advice fromSue Cotey, RN, CDE, and Andrea Harris, RN, CDE on their blog.

What Is Heart Failure

First, its important to differentiate heart failure from other conditions such as cardiovascular disease, a heart attack, or cardiac arrest. There is also the broad term heart disease, which can encompass any heart issue. Because the names can get confusing, here are some brief explanations:

• Cardiovascular disease, or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, is related to the process called atherosclerosis, which occurs when a substance called plaque builds up in your arteries making it difficult for blood to flow normally. The plaque buildup can be caused by high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides, smoking, or a number of other reasons. When it builds up in the arteries that supply blood to heart muscles or the brain, a heart attack or stroke can occur. Read our article on diabetes and heart disease here.

• In a heart attack, the blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked, causing damage to the heart muscle.

• Heart failure happens when the heart isnt able to pump enough blood to the rest of the body.

• Cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of heart function. Usually due to an issue with the hearts electrical system that disrupts a regular heartbeat, cardiac arrest causes the heart to stop pumping blood to the rest of the body.

To learn more about heart failure, check out the American Heart Associations heart failure resources.

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How Can You Reduce The Pain Caused By Diabetes Mellitus

• Watch what you eat Diabetes is sure not an easy thing to live with. However, what most people tend to forget is the importance of their diet, especially when they are dealing with something as difficult as Diabetes. A lot of your everyday difficulties caused by Diabetes Mellitus, including your joint pain, can be reduced if only you watch the way you eat.If you are experiencing some difficulties in arranging a diet for yourself, you can fix that by asking for help from a professional nutritionist. The most important thing to remember is to include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, a lot of water and a lot of chicken and fish instead of alcohol, red meat, artificial sweeteners, processed food and so on.
• Exercise By following a healthy diet and doing your regular exercise you can reduce your body weight gradually. And reducing your weight is essential, especially if you are suffering from a combination of Diabetes Mellitus, obesity and joint pain. By reducing your body weight for even 15 pounds, you can help decrease your knee pain for 50%. And that is by no mean a small change.
• Eliminate your stress When your stress levels rise up your blood sugar levels do also. And when this happens chances are that your joint pain will increase gradually. So what you need to do is eliminate as much as stress as possible from your life. And exercising, healthy eating and practicing yoga and meditation can help you on the way.

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Almost Half Of Heart Attacks Are Silent Heart Attacks

Silent heart attacks are more common than many people may think. Annually, about three-quarters of a million people in the United States have a heart attack. About 45% of these heart attacks are silent. The medical term is silent myocardial infarction. Because there are no symptoms, you may not know you had a heart attack unless you have heart tests and your notices signs of heart damage.

Diabetes is the leading cause of heart disease in the United States. Both men and women can develop heart disease or have a heart attack however, women with diabetes are 2.5 times more likely than men to have a heart attack.

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A Management Of Chest Pain

When the chief complaint is chest pain the first determination should be if the patient is suffering from a potential life-threatening condition. A limited history, physical and quickly obtained EKG and CXR can help determine this.

If the initial work-up does NOT suggests a life-threatening condition administer the following :

Intravenous access.

Arterial blood gas / oximetry.

Pulmonary vascular imaging.

If the initial work-up suggests a pneumothorax administer the following:

IV access.

Supplemental oxygen.

If pneumothorax is < 2-3 cm in size, observation and supplemental oxygen can be used. Serial CXRs are required until there is complete resolution.

If pneumothorax is > 3 cm in size or if the patient is symptomatic with chest pain or dyspnea, consider needle aspiration or tube thoracostomy. Clinically unstable patients should have chest tube placement.

Cardiac monitoring.

If the initial work-up suggests an esophageal rupture administer the following:

IV access: Avoidance of oral intake, IV fluid administration.

Admission of ICU.

Immediate Surgical consultation.

Moderate To Severe High Blood Sugar

Moderate to severe symptoms of high blood sugar include:

• Blurred vision.
• Flushed, hot, dry skin.
• Restlessness, drowsiness, or difficulty waking up.

If your body produces little or no insulin , you also may have:

• Rapid, deep breathing.
• A fast heart rate and a weak pulse.
• A strong, fruity breath odour.
• Loss of appetite, belly pain, and/or vomiting.

If your blood sugar levels continue to rise, you may become confused and lethargic. You also may become unconscious if your blood sugar levels are very high.

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