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People with prediabetes are at higher risk of this

Researchers in the US analyzed data from 1.79 million hospitalizations.

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People age and health problems concept. Grey haired displeased bearded old man has sudden painful spasm in chest closes eyes and presses hands to heart poses against beige wall. Risk of heart attack
Participants with prediabetes were ar almost double the risk of needing heart bypass surgery. (Cast Of Thousands/Shutterstock)

By Gwyn Wright via SWNS

People with prediabetes are at higher risk of serious heart problems, a new study warned.

The condition raises patients' risk of a heart attack and the need for complex heart surgery.

Those with prediabetes have higher blood sugar levels than normal but they are not high enough to amount to diabetes, scientists said.

Patients with the condition are more prone to develop diabetes later, researchers found.

It has long been known that diabetes raises the risk of a heart attack, stroke and kidney problems but little had been known about the link between prediabetes and heart problems.

For the study, researchers in the US analyzed data from 1.79 million hospitalizations of patients who had a heart attack.

One percent of these patients had prediabetes, the study discovered.

via GIPHY

People with prediabetes were found to be 25 percent more likely to have a heart attack, 45 percent more likely to need heart treatment to open blocked blood vessels and are at almost double the risk of needing heart bypass surgery compared with people without the condition.

The researchers say their findings reinforce the need for people to have a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

Dr. Kavin Raj from Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Jersey, the lead study author of the study, said: “Our study serves as a wake-up to everyone to shift the focus to managing prediabetes, not just diabetes.

“We encourage everyone to make lifestyle changes, follow a healthy diet and regularly exercise for at least 150 minutes each week in patients with prediabetes to decrease the risk of heart attacks."

“Our findings reinforce the importance of early recognition by screening and early intervention of prediabetes by lifestyle changes and/or medications to decrease the risk of cardiovascular events.”

The findings were presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

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