Heart failure and diabetes: pathogenesis and management.
The incidence of diabetes among patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) is increasing. Despite advances in therapy for CHF, mortality remains about 30% higher for diabetics with CHF than non-diabetics. Multiple mechanisms are responsible for development of CHF in diabetes with ischemic heart disease and its attendant complication of left ventricular dysfunction playing a major role. The prevalence of diabetes is rising worldwide. Thus in the foreseeable future, it appears that physicians will have to deal with increasing numbers of subjects with diabetes, coronary disease and heart failure. Management of diabetes and co-morbid conditions plays a vital role in the prevention of development CHF in subjects with diabetes. Treatment of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction and management of CHF has been evolving over last few years with major clinical trials advancing our knowledge. This review highlights some of the new developments in this field.