The diabetes gender divide

WOMEN WITH THE ILLNESS ARE AT FAR GREATER RISK OF HEART FAILURE

Women with diabetes are at far greater risk of heart failure than men. That is according to a new study published in Diabetologia - the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. The findings revealed that women with Type 1 diabetes are 47% more likely to go into heart failure than men, and women with Type 2 are 9% more likely. Heart failure happens when the heart pumps blood less efficiently around the body. While the link between heart failure and diabetes is not a new one, it is the first time that females have been found to be at greater risk. The latest estimates suggest 111,840 females across England and Wales are living with Type 1 Diabetes, in addition to the 1.4 million with Type 2 Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune condition, while Type 2 is generally associated with poor diet. The global study examined data from 10 countries - including the UK. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), around 313 million women will be suffering from the disease by the year 2040. Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in women worldwide, claiming around 2.1 million lives a year. Dr Sanne Peters, co-author of the study, said: “Women were reported to have two years’ longer duration of prediabetes than men and this increased duration may be associated with greater excess risk of heart failure in women. “Some major concerns are that women are also being undertreated for diabetes, are not taking the same levels of medications as men and are less likely to receive intensive care.” Julie Ward, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation said: “Heart failure is a devastating, incurable illness that affects just under a million people across the UK, and is one of the leading causes of hospital admissions in over 65s. While the findings of this study suggest that women with diabetes are at greater risk of developing heart failure than men, more research is needed to help us understand if diabetes is indeed the main cause of this. “We do know that most heart and circulatory conditions, including heart failure and diabetes, can benefit from staying active, eating a healthy Mediterranean style diet and not smoking. If you need further advice regarding your specific condition and how to manage it, it is important to speak to your doctor.”