Peripheral blood flow control in diabetes mellitus.

Long term diabetes has a profound effect on the peripheral circulation. This has been demonstrated to be due to the presence of angiopathy and autonomic neuropathy, affecting autoregulation and distensibility of the vessels as well as local and central reflex regulation of the vascular resistance. Whereas the hemodynamic consequences of vascular denervation are well known (causing blood pressure maladaptation to a number of stimuli such as standing, exercise and agonist infusion) (Hilsted 1985), the consequences of disturbances in autoregulation and distensibility remain to be established.