Compared to women, men were found to develop cardiovascular complications, such as heart failure and stroke, at a rate of 44% against 31% in women.
According to a recent study, males with diabetes are more likely than women to experience serious health consequences. No matter how long a person has had diabetes, men are more likely than women to experience complications such disorders of the heart, limb, foot, kidney, and eye. These researchers include those from The University of Sydney in Australia.
25,713 participants, all 45 years of age or older, with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes were included in the study. The individuals were followed up for ten years via surveys to look for significant health issues related to diabetes. After that, the replies and their medical records were connected.
Researchers discovered that although 31% of women encountered a cardiovascular problem, such as heart failure or stroke, 44% of males did. ‘Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health’ published the findings.
In addition, it was discovered that 25% and 35% of the men, respectively, developed kidney and leg/foot issues, compared to 18% and 25% of the women, respectively. Urinary tract issues included bone inflammation and ulceration, whereas kidney issues included chronic illness and failure.
Overall, the researchers discovered that males with diabetes had a 51% higher risk of heart issues than women with diabetes.
Additionally, it was discovered that men with diabetes had a 55% and 47% increased risk of developing kidney and leg/foot issues, respectively.
However, the team observed little difference between men and women for the overall risk of acquiring issues related to the eyes.
Of the individuals, 57% of the males and 61% of the females experienced the development of these ailments. It was discovered that the likelihood of men acquiring diabetic retinopathy, a disease that can cause blindness, was 14% higher.
“Men had a 1.5-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), lower limb, and kidney complications, and risk of diabetic retinopathy was 14 per cent greater in men than in women. These findings are reflected in the ~1.4 times higher 10-year rates for CVD, lower limb, and kidney complications in men compared with women,” according to the authors.
The researchers found that although the number of years that a person with diabetes lived with the metabolic disease increased risks of complications for both men and women, the disparities in complication rates depending on sex remained.
The researchers noted that the male participants in the study had a higher likelihood of having established risk factors as a plausible reason. They also hypothesized that men may be less likely than women to alter their lifestyle, take preventative medicine, or obtain health examinations in order to reduce their risks.
The study was observational, therefore the researchers could not determine any causative factors. They also admitted that there was a dearth of knowledge regarding variables that can have an impact, like blood pressure, glucose, and medicine for diabetes.
According to the authors, both men and women with diabetes have high rates of complications, despite the fact that men are more likely to experience them. According to them, the results demonstrated the importance of focused screening for problems and preventative measures after diagnosis.
