Summary
Cardiac autonomic neuropathy, detectable via HRV, is often the earliest complication of diabetes and can precede other symptoms by years. Low HRV in diabetics correlates with increased cardiovascular risk.
Methods
Review of HRV studies in type 1 and type 2 diabetes populations
Key Findings
- HRV reduction detectable before clinical neuropathy symptoms
- RMSSD and SDNN both affected in diabetic populations
- Poor glycemic control accelerates HRV decline
- HRV predicts cardiovascular events in diabetics
Limitations
Heterogeneous study designs, varying HRV protocols
What This Means for You
If you have diabetes, HRV monitoring may help detect autonomic dysfunction early. Consistently low HRV warrants discussion with your healthcare team, as it may indicate developing cardiac autonomic neuropathy.
Source
Read the original paper in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice ↗
Added to HRV Zone: 2025-01-09