Effect of streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus on contraction, calcium transient, and cation contents in the isolated rat heart.

Cations play major physiological and biochemical roles in the excitation-contraction coupling processes in the heart. This study investigated the effect of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetes mellitus (DM) on contraction, calcium transient [Ca2+]i, and cation contents in the isolated rat heart compared to age-matched control. Diabetes rats weighed significantly (P < 0.