[Autonomic neuropathy in diabetic patients. Part I. Pathogenesis and clinical problems]

Abstract

Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common and serious complications of diabetes both type 1 and type 2. Damage to autonomic nerves in the course of diabetes mellitus leads to diabetic autonomic neuropathy. There are three hypotheses explaining the pathogenetic mechanism of polyneuropathy: metabolic, vascular and immunological. Many diabetic patients have demonstrable abnormalities of autonomic function without any evidence of clinical disease.