Mechanisms and Reversibility of Heart Failure Associated With Diabetes
Mechanisms and Reversibility of Heart Failure Associated With Diabetes
Patients with diabetes have a higher incidence of heart failure and worse outcomes than
 normoglycaemic subjects. Basic science research has suggested many mechanisms for this
 observation including endothelial dysfunction, abnormal calcium handling, fibrosis and
 activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), but clinical data are lacking.
 In this study the investigators will investigate the relationship between diabetes and heart
 failure by exploring the correlation between microvascular dysfunction and cardiac magnetic
 resonance (CMR) markers of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, cardiac dysfunction and
 fibrosis. The investigators also propose to see if this relationship is independent of blood
 pressure and markers of RAAS activity. This could have important clinical ramifications in
 type 2 diabetes by increasing the indications for treatment with RAAS inhibition or making a
 case for lower blood pressure targets.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Type 2 diabetes

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Known cardiac or renal disease

 -  Uncontrolled hypertension

 -  Treatment with ACEi/ARB

 -  Treatment with insulin

 -  Contraindication to CMR