Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics in patients with heart failure and type 2 diabetes

Objective: The coexistence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart failure (HF) has obvious consequences during cardiovascular diagnosis. This study evaluated the relationship between T2D and clinical and echocardiographic features of patients with HF. Methods & results: 121 patients with HF were clinically evaluated by echocardiography in this case-control study. They were divided into two groups based on the presence of T2D. Patients with diabetes were subdivided and compared via an HbA1c control. Significant differences between T2D and non-T2D groups were detected by comparing the left atrial diameter, E/E' and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter. When comparing patients with diabetes, differences in acute heart failure episodes, left ventricular ejection fraction, left atrial diameter and E/E' were evaluated. Conclusion: T2D was associated with important cardiac alterations and more severe HF. Poor control of diabetes resulted in worse cardiovascular outcomes. Plain language summary Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart failure (HF), a disorder when the heart muscle is unable to pump blood the way it should, are mutually related diseases. This study analyzed the relationship between T2D and the severity of heart complications in patients with HF. A total of 121 patients with HF were evaluated by clinical and echocardiography examination. They were divided into groups based on the presence of T2D. Patients with diabetes were subdivided and compared via their disease control (glycated hemoglobin). Patients with T2D and HF had more severe structural and functional changes than patients without T2D. When comparing patients with diabetes, acute HF episodes (life-threatening episodes with severe breathing difficulty requiring emergency care) and heart function were more severe in patients with bad control of diabetes. T2D was associated with important heart abnormalities and more severe HF. Poor control of diabetes resulted in worse cardiovascular symptoms.