Type 2 Diabetes Changes Heart Structure in Patients: New Study Reveals
- Type 2 diabetes directly alters heart structure and energy production, increasing the risk of heart failure, according too new research from the University of Sydney.
- Benjamin Hunter and associate Professor Sean Lal analyzed heart tissue donated by patients undergoing heart transplants in Sydney, comparing it to tissue from healthy donors.
- These effects were most pronounced in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, a leading cause of heart failure.
Type 2 diabetes directly alters heart structure and energy production, increasing the risk of heart failure, according too new research from the University of Sydney. The study, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, provides a molecular explanation for the long-observed link between the two conditions.
researchers lead by Dr. Benjamin Hunter and associate Professor Sean Lal analyzed heart tissue donated by patients undergoing heart transplants in Sydney, comparing it to tissue from healthy donors. Their findings reveal specific molecular changes within heart cells and alterations to the physical structure of heart muscle in individuals with diabetes.
These effects were most pronounced in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, a leading cause of heart failure. The research team discovered a unique molecular profile in patients suffering from both diabetes and ischemic heart disease.
“We’ve known for a long time there’s a correlation between heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but this is the first research to look at both diabetes and ischemic heart disease simultaneously occurring and discover a unique molecular profile in people who have both conditions,” Dr. Hunter said.
The study’s results suggest diabetes isn’t simply a risk factor for heart failure,but actively contributes to the disease process at a cellular level. Further research is needed to explore potential therapeutic interventions targeting these molecular changes.