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Heart Failure More Deadly For Diabetics
Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Diabetics and pre-diabetics hospitalized for acute heart failure face a greater risk of dying in the hospital. Published in the medical journal Heart, the study tracked 454 patients admitted to a university hospital for heart failure. More than half of the patients had normal blood glucose, 24% had diabetes and 13% had pre-diabetes. Of the 454 patients, 11% died in the hospital, and researchers found a relationship between random elevated blood glucose concentration on admission and mortality. Researchers encouraged heart failure patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes to receive intensive therapy in order to improve prognosis.

Past studies have suggested a link between insulin-using advanced heart-failure patients and death, but physicians and researchers have called for further research on the topic. If you’re at risk of heart failure and use insulin to manage your diabetes, maintaining tight control over your blood glucose levels may improve your prognosis if hospitalized.