RESUMO
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered by many the pandemic of the 21st century and is associated with multiple organ damages. Among these, cardiovascular complications are responsible for an incredible burden of mortality and morbidity in Western Countries. The study of the pathological mechanisms responsible for the cardiovascular complications in DM patients is key for the development of new therapeutic strategies. The metabolic disorders caused by hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, results in a cascade of pathomorphological changes favoring the atherosclerotic process and leading to myocardial remodeling. Parallel to this, oxidative stress, calcium overload, mitochondrial dysfunction, activation of protein kinase C signaling pathways, myocardial lipomatosis, and low-grade inflammation of the myocardium - are the main pathways responsible for the diabetic cardiomyopathy development. This review aims to appraise and discuss the pathogenetic mechanisms behind the diabetic cardiomyopathy development.
