How Diabetes Differs for Men and Women

On average women live longer than men, mostly because women face a lower probability of having heart related diseases as compared to men. However, in the case of women who have diabetes, this statement takes a 180 degrees flip as women, on average, are more adversely affected by diabetes as compared to men. In the past years, the death rates of men with diabetes fell while those of women did not move at all.

Apart from this substantial piece of evidence consider the fact that men with diabetes live, on average, around 7 years less than men without diabetes, however, women with diabetes live, on average, around 8 years less than women without diabetes. One of the main reasons why women are in this situation is that the bodies of men and women are certainly not the same. Hence, this disparity may be a consequence of physiology. In general, diabetic women are 6 times more likely to get a heart disease as compared to women without diabetes. In comparison, diabetic men are only 2 or 3 times more likely to get a heart disease.

Also, Women with diabetes are more likely to have poorer blood glucose control, be obese and have high blood pressure along with unhealthy levels of cholesterol. Heart attacks in the case of diabetic women are more likely to be fatal than in the case of diabetic men. This is because women experience may experience different warning signs of a heart attack as compared to men. Both men and women are most likely to suffer from pain in the chest or discomfort in the upper body, but in the case of women the probability to only feel shortness of breath, nausea, and pain in the back or in the jaw when having heart attack is much higher. Thus, women may not seek medical help as a result of underestimating these warning signs and may have a tougher time as far as their recovery is concerned. Another disparity that women suffer from is a higher chance of kidney related diseases.

In normal circumstances, men have a higher chance of kidney related diseases. Yet, when looking at only diabetic men and women, women are more likely to get a kidney related disease. Another fact about diabetic women is that they are twice as likely to suffer from depression as compared to men and that may also severely affect their diabetic condition. Biology may be blamed for this disparity between diabetic men and women. 

The change in internal hormonal and cholesterol levels in women after they get diabetes might be the culprit as far as higher chances of kidney and heart diseases are concerned, respectively. But another factor that contributes to the heightened danger of diseases among diabetic women is the different approach that doctors usually take when examining diabetic women. Since the chances of heart and kidney diseases are generally less among women, doctors do not examine them as aggressively as they should.

It is important, therefore, that women get regular and aggressive checkups from doctors and that they make sure their lifestyle choices are correct and lead them towards being more healthy.