Diabetic retinopathy an indicator of heart failure

An article led by Centre for Eye Research Australia’s Dr Danny (Ning) Cheung shows that the presence of diabetic retinopathy confers an excess risk of heart failure.

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, examined more than 1,000 participants with diabetes. After 9 years of follow-up, almost 1 in 4 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy developed heart failure.

After accounting for the effects of cardiovascular risk factors, patients with baseline diabetic retinopathy were more than twice as likely to develop heart failure as those without retinopathy.

It is estimated that more than 800,000 Australians have diabetic retinopathy, a sight-threatening eye disease. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus that causes damage to blood vessels inside the retina, at the back of the eye.

Diabetic retinopathy commonly affects both eyes and can lead to vision loss if it is not treated. People who have the eye disease may notice painless, blurred vision, eye strain and headaches.

Cardiovascular disease kills one Australian every ten minutes.

Dr Cheung, from the Centre’s Retinal Vascular Imaging Centre (RetVIC) said that the findings may have important clinical implications in the care of diabetic patients.

“Current guidelines identify the need for routine screening for retinopathy in these patients. In addition to appropriate vision care, the detection of retinopathy may now also warrant a more careful cardiac evaluation and closer follow-up to prevent the development of heart failure,” Dr Cheung said.

Earlier reports by Dr Cheung indicate that diabetic retinopathy is also associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, two other major cardiovascular diseases.