Diabetic cardiomyopathy

Abstract

© author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. InTroduCTIon Heart failure in patients with diabetes has been recognised since 1876. The cardiovascular harm of thiazolidinediones shone the 21st century spotlight on the interaction between these two conditions. 3 Recent clinical trials reporting cardiovascular benefit of drugs used to treat diabetes have sparked even more interest. The phrase ‘diabetic cardiomyopathy’ entered the literature in 1972. Over subsequent years, there has been a steady increase in the use of the term. There is a debate about the existence of a distinct diabetic cardiomyopathy. Some investigators have used the term ‘diabetic cardiomyopathy’ to describe all effects of diabetes on the heart and cardiovascular system but this is at odds with definitions offered to date.