Is Diabetes Associated With “Twistolic” Dysfunction? Mechanisms of Exercise Intolerance in Patients With Diabetes

Patients with diabetes have an increased risk for developing clinical heart failure (HF), even in the absence of overt ischemia or hypertension.1 These observations have led to the hypothesis that there is a distinct “diabetic cardiomyopathy.” Numerous potential mechanisms have been proposed to explain the apparent association between diabetes and HF, including inflammation, myocardial fibrosis, altered myocardial energetics or metabolism, lipotoxicity, and microvascular dysfunction.1 Each of these abnormali ties could cause variable degrees of myocardial systolic and/or diastolic mechanical dysfunction.

Source: Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography - March 31, 2020 Category: Cardiology Authors: Matthew C. Evans, Sheldon E. Litwin Tags: Editorial Comment Source Type: research