COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF CARDIAC COMPLICATIONS IN DIABETIC AND NON-DIABETIC PATIENTS A CROSS-SECTIONAL CLINICAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53350/Annalspakmed.1.5.14Keywords:
Diabetes mellitus, cardiac, coronary artery disease, heart failure, glycemic control, cross-sectional study.Abstract
Background: One of the most significant health challenges in the world and a significant cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is diabetes mellitus. The chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes speeds up the process of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction and myocardial damage, resulting in a higher number of cardiac complications than non-diabetic persons. The purpose of the research was to comparatively assess the occurrence and trend of cardiac complications in diabetic and non-diabetic patients in a clinical environment.
Methods: The study was a cross-sectional comparative study that was carried out between the period of January 2024 and September 2025 at tertiary care hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan. One hundred patients aged between 35 and 65 years were recruited and split into two groups (n=50 and n=50, respectively); diabetic and non-diabetic. All participants were subjected to clinical examination, biochemical investigations, ECG and echocardiography. The data were analyzed in SPSS version 26.0, and the results were compared with Chi-square and Student t-test, p < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.
Results: The mean BMI of diabetic patients was much greater (28.7 ± 3.5 kg/m 2 ) than that of non-diabetics (26.1 ± 3.2 kg/m 2; p = 0.03). The incidence of hypertension (64% vs. 36%) and dyslipidemia (70% vs. 44%) was also significantly higher in patients with diabetes. The biochemical results depicted increased fasting glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides and reduced levels of HDL in the diabetic individuals. General complications of the heart were much more common in diabetics (94 versus 48 in non-diabetics; p < 0.001). The most prevalent complication was coronary artery disease (44 percent among diabetics and 24 among non-diabetics). Echocardiography revealed a decrease in ejection fraction and increased ischemic ECG changes in diabetic patients.
Conclusion: Diabetics are significantly more and more susceptible to cardiac complications as compared to non-diabetics. Coronary artery disease, heart failure, and ischemic changes are some of the conditions that are highly risked by diabetes because of the prolonged metabolic and vascular changes. The cardiovascular morbidity and mortality that are linked to diabetes should be lowered through early diagnosis, proper glycemic regulation, and vigorous management of cardiovascular risk factors.
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