Lack of the QTc physiologic decrease during cardiac stress test in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with secretagogues

Acta Diabetol. 2014 Feb;51(1):31-3. doi: 10.1007/s00592-012-0438-6. Epub 2012 Nov 1.

Abstract

Patients with type 2 diabetes are at increased susceptibility to a prolonged QT interval. Furthermore, insulin secretagogues, drugs used to treat diabetes, may prolong QT interval and provoke arrhythmias. We evaluated whether secretagogues can affect QTc interval during cardiac stress test in 20 patients with type 2 diabetes treated with secretagogues. ECG stress test was performed in all patients. QTc interval was calculated both before cardiac stress test (BCST) and at acme of cardiac stress test (ACST). Diabetic patients treated with secretagogues showed longer QTc-ACST values than those treated with metformin only. QTc-ACST values resulted shorter than QTc-BCST values in control group. Diabetic patients treated with secretagogues showed QTc-ACST values significantly longer than QTc-BCST values. In our study, diabetic patients treated with secretagogues did not show the QTc physiologic decrease that is a protective against arrhythmias. These results suggest to evaluate, in these patients, QT length, even during routine cardiac stress test.

Publication types

  • Controlled Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / diagnosis
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / etiology
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / physiopathology
  • Carbamates / therapeutic use*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / physiopathology*
  • Electrocardiography
  • Exercise Test*
  • Female
  • Glyburide / therapeutic use*
  • Heart Rate / drug effects*
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Metformin / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Piperidines / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Carbamates
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Piperidines
  • repaglinide
  • Metformin
  • Glyburide