Author/Editor		Kenda, MF; Šebeštjen, M
Title		Diabetes and the heart-focus on arrhythmias and sudden death
Type		članek
Source		Giornale Italiano di Aritmologia e Cardiostimolazione
Vol. and No.		Letnik 5, št. Suppl 1
Publication year		2002
Volume		str. 33-6
Language		eng
Abstract		Besides the accelerated atherosclerosis-coronary artery disease and its consequences, autonomic neuropathy plays an important role in arrhythmias and sudden death in diabetic patients. Autonomic neuropathy which may be caused by endoneural microangiopathy and is characterized by misbalance between parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomic system may be a reason for the increased risk of sudden death in diabetic patients. Patients with,diabetic autonomic neuropathy have prolonged QT dispersion, increased heart rate, and structural defects such as left ventricular hypertrophy which are also partly caused by autonomic disregulation. Sudden death may also occur due to plaque rupture, with the hypercoagulation of diabetes playing a part. Treatment with ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and lypolitic drugs was proven to be even more effective in diabetic patients. Part of this effect might be attributed to improvement of diabetic autonomic neuropathy.
Descriptors		DIABETES MELLITUS CORONARY DISEASE DIABETIC NEUROPATHIES ARRHYTHMIA DEATH, SUDDEN, CARDIAC ATHEROSCLEROSIS