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Insulin Resistance Leads to Abnormal Heart FunctionQuinones M, Hernandez-Pampaloni M, Schelbert H, et al.: Coronary vasomotor abnormalities in insulin-resistant individuals. Ann Intern Med 140:700–708, 2004. What is the problem and what is known about it so far?People with insulin resistance are at a high risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance happens when the body doesn't use insulin like it should. Problems with blood vessels of the heart are one of the complications that develop on the way to getting diabetes. Researchers wanted to study the link between insulin resistance and problems of the blood vessels of the heart. They wanted to know whether treating insulin resistance with a medication called thiazolidinedione improved the health of heart blood vessels Who was studied?The study participants were all Mexican-Americans who were about the same age. Fifty were insulin-resistant and another 22 people had normal insulin. None of them showed any risk factors or symptoms for heart disease. How was the study done?Twenty-five of the insulin-resistant participants took thiazolidinedione for three months. The doctors then measured their insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, and heart blood flow. For comparison, the 25 people with insulin resistance and 22 people with normal insulin took no thiazolidinedione. What did the researchers find?Insulin-resistant people can have problems with their blood vessels even without having any other heart risk factors. The group taking thiazolidinedione for 3 months improved their insulin sensitivity, decreased their insulin levels, and their heart blood flow returned to normal. What were the limitations of the study?This study included only one ethnic group. A similar study with a more varied group might show different results. A more rigorous research method might produce different results. What are the implications of the study?Identification of patients with insulin resistance may be important to preventing disease of the heart's blood vessels. The link between insulin resistance and disease of the blood vessels of the heart needs to be explored with more research. |
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