Diabetic Heart Problems Could Be Lowered By Good Cholesterol

Scientists have added another awareness to how diabetics who raise their HDL, or good cholesterol, could help to reduce their risk of developing heart problems, or even strokes.

This is of significant importance since some of the most common complications associated with type 2 diabetes are heart disease and stroke.

Researchers gathered data from 30,067 patients, all of which had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Between the testing period of 2001 and 2006, the participants had their HDL levels checked several times with a span of between six and twenty-four month in between. The researchers were specifically looking for those individuals who later suffered either heart disease or stroke.

They then compared those whose HDL levels fluctuated between testing periods with individuals whose levels remained constant. What they were also looking for were the individuals who were hospitalized.

What they found was that individuals who experienced higher levels of HDL were less likely to be hospitalized, while lower HDL levels were connected with an increased probability of being hospitalized.

According to the report, it suggested “that the prevention of a HDL cholesterol decrease might be at least as important as increasing the HDL cholesterol level.”

Scientists estimate that approximately half of all type 2 diabetics have low HDL levels. However, they have still not been able to determine the exact connection between higher HDL levels and the decreased risk of heart disease and stroke.

The findings of the study can be found in the American Journal of Cardiology.