Diabetics 50% more likely to suffer from heart attack

Diabetics are almost 50% more likely to have a heart attack than people who do not have the condition.

Between 2010 and 2011, almost 14,500 people with diabetes suffered from a heart attack in England and Wales, according to data from the National Diabetes Audit.

The report, which shows the extent to which people with diabetes die earlier and develop more health problems than the rest of the population, states that only 9,800 heart attack cases were expected.

It also suggests that people with diabetes are 65% more likely to have heart failure than the rest of the general population.

Patients are also at a greater risk of other potentially fatal conditions, such as angina, stroke, and needing amputations.

Between 2010 and 2011, 17,900 diabetics suffered from a stroke, 9,800 needed a kidney transplant or dialysis, and 1,700 needed a “major amputation”.

Diabetics were also at a higher risk of death than people without the condition.

The excess risk is higher among people with type-1 diabetes.

Type-1 diabetes, which develops when the body cannot produce any insulin, is an autoimmune condition that accounts for 10% of all cases of diabetes.

The report’s authors said the death rate among people with the condition is 135% higher than the general population.

People with type-2 diabetes, which accounts for 90% of all cases and occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin to function properly, have a 36% excess risk.

Diabetes UK said the NHS should focus more on preventing diabetes-related heart disease.

The charity said that just 40% of sufferers are achieving the recommended cholesterol levels and one in ten are not receiving an annual cholesterol check.

Many patients suffer high blood pressure and high blood glucose levels, a charity spokesman said.