Prediabetes and Heart Risk in Older Adults
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The Connection Between Prediabetes and Cardiovascular Health
A new study digs into how multiple social risk factors in older adults with prediabetes may put them at increased risk for cardiovascular complications. It’s estimated that nearly half of adults aged 65 and older are living with prediabetes,a condition that predisposes them to developing type 2 diabetes and puts them at higher risk for cardiovascular complications.
“In addition to the higher risk of progression to Type 2 diabetes seen in older adults with prediabetes, there is also a strong association with cardiovascular complications,” says Obinna Ekwunife, first author and assistant professor of medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.
“Older adults often face multiple overlapping social and health challenges that can accelerate poor cardiovascular health outcomes, so understanding how social risk factors contribute is significant.”
Study Methodology and Data
The research was based on the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study of 5,086 adults aged 50 years and older with prediabetes.The five social risk domains that were studied were economic stability, habitat, education, health care, and social context.
Cardiovascular risk factors included blood sugar control as seen in the 90-day average known as HbA1c, systolic blood pressure, and cholesterol ratio. The researchers assessed relationships between social risk factors and these cardiovascular outcomes after adjusting for age, gender, race, and marital status.
Key Findings: Education as a Significant Factor
“Our study found that limited education-defined as those who did not graduate high school-consistently predicted
The study categorized social risk factors into five key domains:
- Economic Stability: This includes factors like employment, income, and expenses.
- Environment: Neighborhood conditions,access to healthy food,and exposure to environmental hazards.
- Education: Highest level of education completed.