title: [Diabetic autonomic neuropathy of the heart and its treatment with thioctic acid].
abstract: The therapeutic effect of thioctic acid was studied in two groups of patients with peripheral diabetic neuropathy (N = 34 and 27, resp.), who had no evidence of cardiovascular or respiratory insufficiency. The immediate heart-rate response to standing up was measured in the first group of diabetics and in nondiabetic controls (N = 33). Each subject lay quietly for three minutes, then stood up (within five seconds) and remained motionless for one minute. A continuous ECG was recorded from one minute before to one minute after standing. For the Valsalva manoeuvre, the diabetics of the second group were asked to blow a column of mercury up to a height of 40 mm Hg for 10 seconds. The patients were treated with thioctic acid in daily oral doses of 3 X 150 mg for 21 days. No changes of heart rate were found in 80% (standing up) and 59% (Valsalva) resp., in the diabetics with peripheral neuropathy. However, non-diabetic controls of the same age group had likewise no changes of heart rate response in 19 and 5%, respectively. Treatment with thioctic acid did not alter the heart rate response to standing up or Valsalva manoeuvre of the diabetics with peripheral neuropathy.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver
chemical_list: D008063:Thioctic Acid
vernacular_title: Die diabetische autonome Neuropathie des Herzens und ihre Behandlung mit Thioctsäure.