According to the Heart Failure Society of America (2011), some of the common risk factors for congestive heart failure include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Prior Heart attack
  • History of a heart murmur
  • Enlarged heart (or family history of one)
  • Diabetes

Additionally, the American Heart Assocation (2011b), adds that other risk factors include:

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Severe lung disease
  • Sleep apnea
  • Abnormal heart valves
  • Disease of the heart muscle
  • Congenital heart defects
  • Smoking
  • Excessive alcohol use

Research on Diabetes and Congestive Heart Failure

Poulsen et al. (2009) completed a study that evaluated 305 patients with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The study found that while the participants had no diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, 40% had significant diastolic dysfunction of their left ventricle. Diabetes causes vascular changes that thicken the walls of the arteries and causes elevated blood pressure which Poulsen et al. (2009, p. 27) states "causes increased myocardial oxygen demand, left ventricular hypertrophy, increased wall stress and myocardial ischemia... and eventually overt heart failure." While it is known that diabetes is a significant risk factor for developing congestive heart failure, this study questions whether diabetics develop CHF from vascular changes due to the disease process or if diabetes causes damage to the myocardium from hyperglycemia and hyperinsulemia. The study also found evidence that diabetics had greater myocardial fibrosis (thickening and hardening of heart valves) than nondiabetics. (Poulsen et al., 2009).

  • Myocardial oxygen demand is the amount of oxygen that your heart needs to be functional. Increased demand causes your weakened heart to work harder with a decreased oxygen supply.
  • Left ventricular hypertrophy is the thickening of the wall of muscle around your left ventricle. This causes the muscle to weaken and pump inefficiently.
  • Myocardial ischemia is the damage to your heart's muscles caused by decreased blood flow to the arteries that supply your heart with oxygen and nutrients.
  • Hyperglycemia is a high blood glucose (sugar) level.
  • Myocardial fibrosis is the thickening and hardening of your heart valves.

(Silvestri, 2008, p. 847-922)

If you are diabetic and have congestive heart failure, ask your doctor how you can better manage these diseases together. Keep a log of your blood sugars each day and follow a strict diabetic diet to slow the progression of the damaging effect of these diseases on your heart.