Blood leaving the heart via the arteries supplies oxygen to the cells throughout the body and picks up carbon dioxide. It returns from its tour of the body in the veins, from where it goes through the right side of the heart. The right side of the heart pumps blood through to the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen and begins its trip again.
When blood pressure in the pulmonary artery is too high, it is called pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension strains the right side of the heart, which can then lead to heart failure. According to a study reported on in October of 2018 in the online journal PLOS ONE, people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes who have certain lung diseases are almost three times more likely to develop pulmonary hypertension than people with lung issues but who do not have diabetes.
Investigators at Fukushima Medical University and Hospital in Fukushima, Japan, studied 386 people who had been diagnosed with chronic lung disease…
- a total of 42 or 10.9 percent had pulmonary hypertension.
- the participants with diabetes were at 2.95 times the risk of having pulmonary hypertension as the non-diabetic participants.
Chronic lung disease includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial pneumonia. The former includes bronchitis and emphysema…
1. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lungs, often with copious amounts of sputum, usually caused by microorganisms…
2. Emphysema is a condition in which tiny air sacs called alveoli, where the blood picks up oxygen, are distended and unable to return to their standard size, making it difficult for the lungs to oxygenate the red blood cells. This issue is usually caused by smoking.
3. In interstitial pneumonia the alveoli, and sometimes the outer covering of the lungs, become inflamed. The inflammation can be brought about by microorganisms or by unknown causes and can lead to death in 3 to 5 years.
Bacteria, viruses, fungi, smoke, dust, and certain chemicals can cause lung disease. There are several things people diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes can do to prevent developing lung disease…
- keep blood sugar levels under control to help the immune system fight off invaders and maintain your heart and blood vessels in good shape.
- do not start smoking or quit altogether. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, United States, offers many good ideas on stopping.
- avoid second-hand smoke as well.
- steer clear of air pollution when possible.
- wear a safety mask when working around volatile chemicals, and
- maintain proper ventilation when cleaning or painting indoors.