Patients who have had a heart attack have a new concern to worry about. New research reveals patients who have had a heart attack are 4.5-times more likely to develop diabetes compared to the general population. Heart attack patients are also 15-times more likely to develop a pre-diabetes condition known as impaired fasting glucose (IFG), according to the research.
The study was a collaborative effort between researchers from Harvard Medical School in Boston and researchers in Italy. The study included 8,291 Italian patients who had suffered a heart attack within the previous three months. Researchers followed the patients’ progress for the next four years, and also noted during follow up if the patient ate a Mediterranean diet, which includes raw and cooked vegetables, fruit, fish and olive oil.
Overall, researchers report one-third of the heart attack patients developed diabetes or IFG. Risk factors associated with new onset-diabetes or IFG included older age, high blood pressure, use of beta-blockers, lipid-lowering medications and diuretic use. Other factors included body mass index (BMI), smoking, Mediterranean diet, wine consumption and physical activity.
Study authors suggest, based on this research, heart attacks could be a pre-diabetes risk factor. They write, however, lifestyle factors can help heart attack patients prevent diabetes. They suggest counseling for patients to teach them about lifestyle changes, including eating a Mediterranean diet and exercising.
SOURCE: The Lancet, 2007;370;667-675