- Researchers say one-third of people with type 2 diabetes may have undetected cardiovascular disease.
- In a new study, the researchers reported that many people with type 2 diabetes had elevated levels of two proteins associated with heart disease.
- They said the study results emphasize the need for medical professionals to check for cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
One-third of people with type 2 diabetes had elevated levels of two protein markers, compared to 16% of those without diabetes, according to a
Researchers analyzed health information and blood samples from 10,300 adults who participated in the
That survey collected the data from 1999-2004.
The study participants had not reported any history of cardiovascular disease when they enrolled.
The researchers honed in on two protein markers – troponin T and N terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide – that are used to measure injury and stress to the heart and are routinely used to diagnose a heart attack and heart failure.
Elevated levels of these proteins in the bloodstream might be early warning signs of changes in the structure and function of the heart, which could increase the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, and early death.
After analyzing the blood samples as well as mortality statistics collected from the
- One-third of people with type 2 diabetes had elevated levels of the two protein markers, compared to 16% of those without diabetes.
- In people with type 2 diabetes, elevated levels of the protein markers were associated with an increased risk of all-cause death and more than double the risk of cardiovascular death compared to people with normal levels of these proteins in the blood. The elevated risk remained after adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors.
- Elevated troponin was more common in…
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