Alterations in ion channel physiology in diabetic cardiomyopathy

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic illnesses worldwide. This article focuses on a subgroup of diabetic patients with a specific cardiac complication of this disease-diabetic cardiomyopathy. This article initially gives some general background on diabetic cardiomyopathy and ion channels. Next the focus is on how diabetic cardiomyopathy alters calcium homeostasis in cardiac myocytes and highlights the specific alterations in ion channel function that are characteristic of this type of cardiomyopathy. Finally, the importance of the renin-angiotensin system in diabetic cardiomyopathy is reviewed.