“If you have diabetes, the risk of the disease increases four to five times in women compared to a twofold increase in men.” | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Diabetic women are more prone to cardiovascular disease compared to men, said Chitra Selvan, head of endocrinology, Ramaiah Medical Center.
Speaking at an international conference on ‘Ayurveda and Integrated Approaches to Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome’, she said: “It is generally thought that heart disease is something that is more common in men. But if you have diabetes, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases four to five times in women compared to a twofold increase in men.”
She added that women are likely to be at greater risk of cardiovascular disease if they are being treated for type 2 diabetes.
Estrogen protection
“What this basically means is that the protection that estrogen offers in terms of the cardiovascular system for women is almost wiped out when a woman is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. So women are likely to be at risk for cardiovascular disease if they are treated for type 2 diabetes,” added Dr. Selvan.
Dr. Speaking on ‘Bridging the Gap: Women-Centric Pathways in Metabolic Health, Obesity and Dyslipidemia’, Selvan said women with diabetes are at greater risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, dementia or end-stage renal disease compared to men.
“If you’re trying to look at diabetes-related complications and you’re trying to look at the odds of having complications based on whether you’re a woman, you can see that the odds of getting coronary heart disease, stroke, dementia or end-stage renal disease increase if you’re a woman with diabetes versus a man,” she said.
PCOS and diabetes
Dr. Selvan added that women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at a young age are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease.
The two-day conference brought together leading experts in Ayurveda, modern medicine and allied sciences to address new challenges in the treatment of metabolic disorders.
The conference was attended by renowned domestic and foreign speakers.
Published – 01 Dec 2025 20:15 IST
