Diabetic cardiomyopathy - heart disease in diabetes

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is defined as a finding of systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction, myocardial dilation and left ventricular hypertrophy without the presence of macroangiopathy and hypertension. Causes include metabolic changes, myocardial fibrosis, microangiopathy as well as cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy leading to sympathetic denervation and alteration of myocardial perfusion. It comprises abnormalities in the control of heart rate as well as central and peripheral vascular dynamics. The diagnosis of diabetic cardiomyopathy affects significantly the prognosis in patients with diabetes. Echocardiography and nuclear medicine methods are used for diagnosis.