Heartbeat and arrhythmia perception in diabetic autonomic neuropathy

A comparative study of diabetics with autonomic neuropathy (N = 13) as against non-neuropathic diabetics (N = 16) and healthy control persons (N = 20) was carried out with respect to heart rate both at rest and under stress, frequency of cardiac arrhythmias in a 24-h ECG and accuracy of heartbeat and arrhythmia perception. In the subjects with diabetic autonomic neuropathy, the spontaneous variability and stress-induced reactivity of the heart rate as well as the number of tachycardic episodes were reduced, whereas the frequency of ventricular extrasystoles was somewhat increased. Impaired heartbeat perception and a complete loss of perception of arrhythmias as a consequence of neuropathic deafferentation could be demonstrated. Cardiac perception disorders also play a vital role in other clinical problems, e.g. silent myocardial infarction and lack of awareness of hypoglycaemia in diabetes mellitus.