Cardiovascular Diabetol. 13(1): 79. PMCID: PMC4005834
Keywords:
STZ-induced diabetes, Cardiac work, Cardiac heat production, Cardiac efficiency, Cardiac twitch duration
Abstract
Diabetes induces numerous electrical, ionic and biochemical defects in the heart. A general feature of diabetic myocardium is its low rate of activity, commonly characterised by prolonged twitch duration. This diabetes-induced mechanical change, however, seems to have no effect on contractile performance (i.e., force production) at the tissue level. Hence, we hypothesise that diabetes has no effect on either myocardial work output or heat production and, consequently, the dependence of myocardial efficiency on afterload of diabetic tissue is the same as that of healthy tissue.