Revisiting the Diabetes-Heart Failure Connection

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: To summarize current clinical data investigating the link between diabetes and heart failure pathophysiology, the association of glucose control with heart failure, and the impact of current antihyperglycemic drugs on heart failure. RECENT FINDINGS: Although heart failure is one of the most prevalent outcomes occurring in real life and cardiovascular outcome trials, insufficient attention was given to this condition in diabetes research over the last decades. With both beneficial and detrimental findings for heart failure hospitalization in the health authority–mandated outcome trials for new antihyperglycemic agents, research on heart failure and its interplay with diabetes mellitus gained momentum. SUMMARY: Diabetes mellitus and heart failure are both prevalent and intertwined conditions. While currently available heart failure therapies have a similar degree of effectiveness in patients with and without diabetes, the choice of glucose-lowering agents can substantially affect heart failure-related outcome.