Heart failure as a risk factor for diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a well-recognized risk factor for heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that HF also increases the risk for DM.

We explored the hypothesis that HF is a risk factor for DM.

The Cardiovascular Health Study was a prospective cohort study of cardiovascular risk in ambulatory older adults. We used a limited-access dataset provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The impact of HF at baseline on DM after 3 or 4 years was examined in a cohort of 3,748 nondiabetic participants aged ≥65 years. The magnitude and significance of the association were evaluated using logistic regression models. Analyses were performed with and without adjustment for confounders and separately among subjects with normal and impaired fasting glucose at baseline.

Among subjects with normal fasting glucose at baseline, HF significantly increased the odds of developing impaired fasting glucose after 3 or 4 years [odds ratio (OR) 2.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-4.61, p = 0.043] or overt DM (OR 4.78, 95% CI 1.84-12.4, p < 0.001). After adjusting for demographic and biomedical factors, HF remained significantly associated with a worsening DM status (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.38-4.29, p = 0.002).

In the elderly population, the presence of HF more than doubles the incidence of DM within a few years. This association remains significant when adjusting for age, gender and cardiovascular comorbidities.