Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes
07:22

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes

Published on: March 7, 2025

Poor glycaemic control and arrhythmias

Raffaella Arnò1, Luciana Bastagli, Cristian Martignani

  • 1Internal Medicine, University of Bologna , Bologna , Italy.

Endocrine Research
|May 1, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Diabetics experience more arrhythmias, especially those with poor glycemic control (PGC). PGC patients show higher rates of ventricular ectopic beats and more complex arrhythmias, indicating a worse cardiovascular outcome.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Diabetology
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications.
  • Arrhythmias are a common complication, but their prevalence and complexity in relation to glycemic control require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the incidence, type, and complexity of arrhythmias in diabetic patients versus non-diabetic controls.
  • To further analyze these arrhythmias in diabetic patients with good glycemic control (GGC) versus poor glycemic control (PGC).

Main Methods:

  • Ambulatory Electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings were analyzed for 92 diabetic patients and 100 controls.
  • Diabetic patients' glycemic profiles were assessed, categorizing them into GGC (100-140 mg/dL) or PGC (values outside this range in 3-of-4 daily determinations).

Main Results:

  • Diabetic patients exhibited a higher prevalence of ventricular ectopic beats (VEBs) and elevated heart rates compared to controls.
  • Diabetic patients with PGC showed a significantly higher prevalence of VEBs and supraventricular ectopic beats (SVEBs) compared to GGC patients.
  • PGC patients also presented with more severe and complex atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.

Conclusions:

  • The diabetic condition itself contributes to arrhythmogenesis, but poor glycemic control significantly exacerbates this tendency.
  • PGC is linked to a higher burden of VEBs, often polymorphic, suggesting a more severe arrhythmic and cardiovascular prognosis.
  • Autonomic nervous system hyperactivation and potential coronary microangiopathy in PGC patients may contribute to their increased arrhythmogenic risk.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital12:08

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital

Published on: June 11, 2012

Related Concept Videos

Hyperglycemia01:29

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose levels exceed 180 mg/dL two...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors01:19

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors

α-glucosidase inhibitors, including acarbose (Precose), miglitol (Glyset), and voglibose (Voglib) (primarily available in Asia), are drugs that control blood sugar levels by delaying the digestion of starch and disaccharides. They achieve this by inhibiting α-glucosidase enzymes in the intestine, which slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which in turn leads to a prolonged release of the glucoregulatory hormone GLP-1 from intestinal L-cells.
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones01:26

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones

Biguanides, particularly metformin (Glucophage), are insulin sensitizers that enhance glucose uptake, thereby reducing insulin resistance. Unlike sulfonylureas, metformin doesn't prompt insulin secretion, which helps to curb hypoglycemia risk. Metformin is beneficial in treating conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome due to its insulin-resistance reduction capability. The drug's primary action involves curtailing hepatic gluconeogenesis, a significant contributor to high blood glucose levels...
Hypoglycemia01:26

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL. It commonly occurs in individuals using insulin or insulin-secreting drugs, but may also arise in non-diabetic conditions. People with type 1 diabetes are at the highest risk because they depend on exogenous insulin. People with type 2 diabetes are also at risk, especially when treated with insulin or medications such as sulfonylureas, which increase insulin release regardless of blood glucose levels. It develops when insulin levels exceed...
Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias01:28

Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias

Arrhythmias are irregular heart rhythms occurring when the heart's electrical impulses become abnormal. These disturbances can lead to various symptoms, depending on their severity and the underlying cause. Some common factors contributing to arrhythmias include hypoxia, ischemia, electrolyte imbalances, excessive catecholamine exposure, drug toxicity, and muscle overstretching. Arrhythmias can be classified into two main types based on the rate and site of origin of abnormal heart rhythms.
Complications of Diabetes Mellitus01:22

Complications of Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia due to insulin deficiency, resistance, or both. Prolonged hyperglycemia disrupts metabolic homeostasis and leads to acute and chronic complications.Acute ComplicationsAcute complications result from sudden metabolic imbalance.Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) mainly appears in type 1 diabetes but may also develop in type 2 diabetes, particularly under extreme stress. It arises from severe insulin deficiency,...