Sudden cardiac death in patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic heart failure

Abstract

In patients with diabetes mellitus, around 50% of deaths due to cardiovascular causes are sudden cardiac deaths. The prevalence of diabetes in cohorts with chronic heart failure is increasing, and while sudden cardiac death is an increasingly rare mode of death in chronic heart failure patients as a whole, the risk of this outcome remains high in those with diabetes. This review summarises the current knowledge on the incidence of sudden cardiac death in patients with diabetes and chronic heart failure, before discussing the causes of the excess risk seen in those with these coexistent conditions. We then describe current strategies for risk stratification and prevention of sudden cardiac death in these patients before discussing the priorities for further study in this area.

Keywords: Sudden cardiac death; chronic heart failure; diabetes; incidence; mortality.