[Heart failure with thiazolidinedione treatment: what do we know today?]

Patients with type 2 diabetes are at a high risk for cardiovascular disease. A common co-morbidity is heart failure, resulting in increased mortality rates. Research on thiazolidinediones (glitazones) has revealed protective effects on the cardiovascular system. On the other hand, this antidiabetic class causes fluid retention that may promote congestive heart failure. The clinical manifestation of heart failure occurs more frequently on either pioglitazone or rosiglitazone treatment than with other oral antidiabetic drugs. This article provides an overview of the pathophysiological background of fluid retention, the incidence of congestive heart failure with thiazolidinedione treatment and the clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetes with and without a pre-existing condition. A review of the currently available data discloses the following relevant facts: treatment of diabetes with a thiazolidinedione appears to increase the signs of congestive heart failure, but not the risk of cardiovascular and overall death. On the contrary, type 2 diabetics with pre-existing heart failure benefits from a reduction in cardiovascular end-points. All these data suggest that heart failure precipitated by thiazolidinedione drugs is qualitatively different from other causes. This implies the need for a new prognostic evaluation of patients with thiazolidinedione-promoted heart failure.