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Patients with type 2 diabetes, severe hypoglycemia at risk for CVD, death
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Researchers in Japan recently reported that patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and severe hypoglycemia developed adverse outcomes that could lead to cardiovascular disease, fatal arrhythmia or death.
“The present study demonstrated that 1.5% of type 2 diabetic patients with severe hypoglycemia actually exhibited new-onset CV events,” the researchers wrote.
The retrospective analysis examined the data of 59,602 patients who were treated in the ED from 2006 to 2012. Of those, 414 patients with type 1 diabetes (n=88) and type 2 diabetes (n=326) with severe hypoglycemia were further analyzed to assess vital signs, QT intervals and newly diagnosed CVD during their visit.
The prevalence of known CVD and pre-existing hypertension was significantly greater in the type 2 diabetes group compared with the type 1 diabetes group. Additionally, the estimated glomerular filtration rate was lower in this group, researchers wrote.
According to data, the incidence of severe hypertension during severe hypoglycemia was 19.8% in the type 1 diabetes group compared with 38.8% in the type 2 diabetes group (P=.001). There was also a significant difference regarding the intergroup incidence of severe hypertension among patients in the type 1 diabetes group (P=.02), but not for the type 2 diabetes group (P=.17), despite an increased incidence among patients with pre-existing hypertension, researchers wrote.
There were significant associations between QT prolongation and no cancer comorbiditity or newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in the type 2 diabetes group, the researchers added. However, further analyses demonstrated that this incidence was significantly greater among patients with a QTc ≥0.50 seconds (14.8% vs. 1.5%; P=.02), according to data.
Of five patients with type 2 diabetes and CVD, three had cerebral infarctions, one had cerebral hemorrhage and one had myocardial infarction requiring intervention, researchers wrote.
Further, new-onset CVD was not associated with severe hypoglycemia, but was significantly linked to atrial fibrillation. Six of the patients with type 2 diabetes died due to sepsis or multiple organ failure, researchers wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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