August 10, 2023

expert reaction to study of blood sugar levels and risk of cardiovascular diseases

A study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe looks at sex-specific risks for cardiovascular disease and blood sugar levels.

Prof Robert Storey, Professor of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disease theme lead, University of Sheffield, said:

“It is well established that being overweight can lead to higher blood sugar levels as well as higher blood pressure, these being factors that contribute to higher risk of heart attack and stroke. This very large UK Biobank study shows that the higher heart risk associated with blood sugar can be detected at a very early stage along the path towards the abnormally high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes. The study provides support for a strategy of assessing cardiovascular risk in people who are overweight, including assessment of blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure levels, all of which can be effectively managed to markedly reduce the risk of future heart attack and stroke.”

‘Sex-specific risks for cardiovascular disease across the glycaemic spectrum: a population-based cohort study using the UK Biobank’ by Christopher T. Rentsch et al. was published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe at 04:00 UK time on Thursday 10^th August.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100693

Declared interests

Prof Robert Storey: “No relevant DOIs.”