Type 2 diabetes – high blood pressure in the lungs related to diabetes

Type 2 diabetes – high blood pressure in the lungs related to diabetes

Blood leaving the heart through the arteries delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body and absorbs carbon dioxide. It returns from its tour of the body in the veins, from where it passes through the right side of the heart. The right side of the heart pumps blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen and begins its journey again.

When the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery is too high, it is called pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension puts strain on the right side of the heart, which can then lead to heart failure. According to a study reported in the online journal in October 2018PLUS 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 problems but who do not have diabetes.

Investigators at Fukushima Medical University and Hospital in Fukushima, Japan, examined 386 people who had been diagnosed with chronic lung disease...

• overall, 42, or 10.9 percent, had pulmonary hypertension.

• the participants with diabetes had a 2.95 times greater risk of pulmonary hypertension than the non-diabetic participants.

Chronic lung diseases include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial pneumonia.The former includes bronchitis and emphysema…

1. Bronchitisis a pneumonia, often with copious sputum, usually caused by microorganisms...

2. Emphysemais a condition in which tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, where blood absorbs oxygen, become distended and unable to return to their standard size, making it difficult for the lungs to deliver oxygen to red blood cells. This problem is usually caused by smoking.

3. In interstitial pneumoniathe alveoli and sometimes the outer covering of the lungs become inflamed. The inflammation can be caused by microorganisms or 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 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 keep your heart and blood vessels in good condition.

• Don't start smoking or stop smoking altogether. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, USA, offers many good ideas for stopping.

• Also avoid passive smoking.

• Avoid air pollution if possible.

• Wear a protective mask when working with volatile chemicals, and

• When cleaning or painting indoors, ensure there is adequate ventilation.

Inspired by Beverleigh H Piepers