Medically reviewed by Dr Pinakin V Parekh, General & Interventional Cardiologist (MBBS (Singapore), MRCP (UK), GDFM (Singapore), FAMS (Singapore), FRCP (Glasgow)). Last Updated: 2026, 28 August
Founder & Medical Director of Trident Heart Centre
Dr Pinakin V Parekh is an interventional cardiologist in Singapore with over 20 years of experience in heart care. He specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of heaart diseases, including procedures such as angiogram and angioplasty.
Diabetes happens when the body is unable to properly regulate blood sugar (glucose), usually due to problems with insulin.
There are two main types:
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form and is closely linked to lifestyle and cardiovascular risk.
Diabetes is one of the strongest risk factors for cardiovascular disease, significantly increasing the risk of:
High blood sugar can damage blood vessels over time, accelerating plaque build-up in the arteries. As a result, heart disease often develops silently before symptoms appear.
Diabetes can also affect the nerves that carry pain signals, meaning some people experience atypical heart symptoms instead of the classic chest pain. Symptoms such as breathlessness, unusual fatigue, nausea, or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, or upper abdomen may be signs of an underlying heart problem.
Recognising these less typical symptoms is an important part of caring for patients with diabetes.
Symptoms can vary, and some patients may have no symptoms at all in the early stages.
Common symptoms include:
Because symptoms can be mild or absent, diabetes is often detected during routine screening.
Diabetes develops due to a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors.
Common causes and risk factors include:
Some patients develop diabetes even without obvious risk factors, which is why regular screening is important.
Diabetes management focuses on keeping blood sugar levels stable and reducing long-term complications.
This usually includes:
The goal is not only to control sugar levels, but also to protect long-term heart and organ health.
Under the care of a cardiologist, diabetes is managed not only as a blood sugar condition, but as part of your overall heart health.
This includes:
This approach is especially important because diabetes can cause heart disease to develop quietly, and some patients may experience atypical symptoms rather than classic chest pain.
Patients with diabetes may benefit from heart screening to detect early disease.
Common tests include:
Early screening helps identify heart disease before symptoms develop. Because patients with diabetes may experience atypical or “silent” symptoms, cardiovascular screening can play an important role in detecting problems early.
Patients often value Dr Pinakin’s approach because it focuses on:
Looking beyond blood sugar to assess overall cardiovascular risk, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and early signs of heart disease.
Identifying silent heart disease and recognising atypical cardiac symptoms that are more common in people living with diabetes.
Helping patients understand how diabetes affects the heart and what it means for their long-term health in simple, clear terms.
Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be significantly improved with lifestyle changes, but most patients require long-term management.
Because diabetes significantly increases cardiovascular risk, a cardiologist helps detect early heart disease and manage risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, and artery health.
Yes. Diabetes significantly increases the risk of heart attack due to faster plaque buildup in the heart arteries.
Depending on risk level, tests may include ECG, echocardiogram, stress testing, or CT coronary angiography to assess for early heart disease.
It depends on individual risk, but many patients benefit from regular cardiovascular reviews, especially if they also have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of heart disease.
Dr Pinakin uses current, evidence-based methods to carefully evaluate and treat heart conditions, helping you feel confident in your care.
Every patient is treated as an individual, with attention to your full health and lifestyle, not just the heart problem.
From assessment to treatment, screenings and procedures are conveniently coordinated in one place for a smoother, more reassuring experience.
