Diabetes mellitus and congestive heart failure: physiopathology and treatment

Diabetes mellitus increases by 2.5 to 5 the relative risk of congestive heart failure. Besides the classical risk factors of congestive heart failure such as obesity, arterial hypertension and coronary artery disease that are frequently associated to type 2 diabetes, a diabetic cardiomyopathy plays also a role. This specific complication is related to metabolic factors and oxidative stress, leading to muscular cell apoptosis and fibrosis. The management of a diabetic patient with congestive heart failure has several specificities not only concerning the treatment of cardiac insufficiency but most importantly concerning antidiabetic therapy. The relationship between glitazones, peripheral oedema and risk of congestive heart failure is currently raising much interest and controversies.