Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosed in Adulthood Raises Risk of Heart Disease: Study

New Delhi: A new study from Sweden has revealed that people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in adulthood face a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death. The research, conducted by scientists at the Karolinska Institutet and published in the European Heart Journal, emphasizes that the disease remains serious even when it develops later in life.

The study focused on over 10,000 adults diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between 2001 and 2020, all of whom were aged 18 or older at the time of diagnosis. These individuals were compared with more than 500,000 people in a control group who did not have the disease. The aim was to understand the long-term health risks of adult-onset type 1 diabetes, particularly for those diagnosed after the age of 40.

The findings showed that adults with type 1 diabetes had a higher risk of developing cardiovascular conditions such as heart attacks and strokes. They were also more likely to die from all causes, including cancer and infections, compared to people without diabetes.

One key insight from the research was that adults diagnosed later in life did not necessarily have a better health outlook than those diagnosed at a younger age. In fact, their prognosis was often worse due to several risk factors.

According to Yuxia Wei, a postdoctoral researcher at the Karolinska Institutet, smoking, obesity, and poor blood sugar control were the major contributors to the poor outcomes. Many adult patients were also less likely to use modern diabetes management tools such as insulin pumps, which could help improve glucose control.

The researchers believe there is a critical need for better care and monitoring of adults diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. They plan to further study risk factors, long-term complications like nerve and kidney damage, and how technology—such as insulin pumps—might improve outcomes in this population.

The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Diabetes Foundation. The researchers stated that there were no conflicts of interest.

Overall, the results highlight the importance of recognizing type 1 diabetes as a serious condition at any age and call for improved awareness and treatment options for adults living with the disease.