Insulin resistance – risk factor for hypertension

An adverse body fat distribution has been associated with insulin resistance which may be an important cause of hypertension. Insulin resistance can be described as a pathological condition in which cells fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin.

Subjects who develop hypertension at an early age have an increased frequency of lipid disorders (familial dyslipidemic hypertension) a subset of these patients have increased glucose and insulin concentrations.

Obesity is strongly associated with impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus. The impaired insulin response stimulates the pancreatic beta-cells to increase insulin secretion, resulting in a relative excess of insulin called hyperinsulinemia and causes impaired lipid metabolism.

These metabolic changes increase hypertension and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are more severe and more closely associated with hypertension in obese than non-obese persons.

Abdominal obesity appears to promote insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, which in turn is associated with lipoprotein lipase abnormality, leading to raised triglyceride and reduce HDL-C.
Insulin resistance – risk factor for hypertension