Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that increases the risk of multiple medical complications. Now, a new study has uncovered another major damage caused by diabetes.
Research from the University of Sydney in Australia revealed that type 2 diabetes directly alters the structure and energy system of the heart.
This finding indicates why the risk of heart failure significantly increases in diabetic patients. The study analyzed donated heart tissues from patients who had undergone heart transplants.
The research discovered that diabetes brings molecular changes to the structure of heart cells and muscles. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, and the mortality rate is particularly high among patients with type 2 diabetes.
The study further found that diabetes not only increases the risk of heart disease but also affects biological functions, thereby raising the risk of heart failure and altering the structure of the heart muscles. Researchers stated that so far, the full effects of diabetes on the heart have not been completely understood.
They added that under normal conditions, the heart uses fat, glucose, and ketones as fuel for energy. However, with diabetes, insulin sensitivity decreases and glucose levels rise, increasing the risk of heart failure.
The researchers observed that if diabetic patients already suffer from heart disease, their risk of heart failure increases significantly. The study also revealed that type 2 diabetes lowers the levels of essential proteins necessary for the contraction of heart muscles.
According to the researchers, they have now been able to prove how diabetes and heart disease are interconnected, and how diabetes turns out to be a condition that changes both the structure and functions of the heart. The findings of this study have been published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.
