Symptoms of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy and How to Treat It

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a rare complication of poorly controlled diabetes that causes changes in the normal functioning of the heart muscle and may, over time, cause heart failure. See for signs of heart failure.

Generally, this type of cardiomyopathy is not related to other factors such as high blood pressure or coronary disease and, therefore, is attributed to changes caused by diabetes.

Although in most cases diabetic cardiomyopathy does not cause any symptoms before the onset of heart failure, it is common to experience some sensation of constant shortness of breath. However, this symptom is quickly accompanied by others of heart failure, such as:

• Swelling of the legs;
• Chest pain;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Frequent tiredness;
• Constant dry cough.

In the early stages, when there are no symptoms yet, cardiomyopathy can be detected through changes in electrocardiogram or echocardiogram examinations, for example, and it is therefore recommended to have periodic check-ups in the doctor to identify these and other complications of diabetes early .

Check out a complete list of common diabetes complications and how to identify them.

Why it happens

In cases of poorly controlled diabetes, the left ventricle of the heart becomes more dilated and, therefore, begins to have difficulty contracting and pushing the blood. Over time, this difficulty causes blood to build up in the lungs, legs and other parts of the body.

With excess and liquids throughout the body, blood pressure increases, making it even harder for the heart to work. Therefore, in the most advanced cases, heart failure arises, since the heart can no longer pump the blood properly.

How is the treatment done?

Treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy is recommended when symptoms interfere with daily tasks or cause a lot of discomfort, and can be done with the use of:

• Pressure medicines such as Captopril or Ramipril: reduce blood pressure and make it easier for the heart to pump blood;
• Diuretics of a loop, such as Furosemide or Bumetanide: eliminate excess fluid through the urine, avoiding the accumulation of fluid in the lungs;
• Cardiotonics, such as Digoxin: increase the strength of the heart muscle to facilitate the work of pumping blood;
• Oral anticoagulants, Acenocumarol or Warfarin: decrease the risk of developing infarction or stroke due to common atrial fibrillation in diabetics with cardiomyopathy.

However, even without symptoms, it is advisable to keep your diabetes well controlled, following your doctor's instructions, control your body weight, eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly as this is a great way to strengthen your heart and avoid complications, such as heart failure.

See how you can keep your diabetes well controlled and avoid such problems.