About this Research Topic
Despite the great effort made to combat cardiovascular risk factors (in particular, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus), unfortunately, the morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases are still excessively high, resulting in a progressive increase in health care costs. In fact, in the countries of the European community, about 2 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases are reported every year, accounting 49% of total deaths. Therefore, although much has been done in cardiovascular disease prevention, further study is needed to reduce this number.
Insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia (IR/Hyperins) is a silent pandemic and a serious public health problem. It has always been predominantly associated with the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, as highlighted in many studies, it can also be present, unacknowledged, even in normal-weight or under-weight subjects. We must not think of insulin solely as a “blood sugar hormone”, it has many other important roles. Many studies in the literature reports have indicated IR/Hyperins as an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. The blood levels of insulin are classically increased during IR, as a hormone with numerous targets, insulin also effectively targets the cardiovascular system. Chronically elevated insulin levels are well known to lead to sympathetic overactivity, endothelial dysfunction and vascular smooth muscle cell hyperplasia with the development of atherosclerosis, excess production of oxidative radicals and chronic inflammation, arterial hypertension, concentric left ventricular remodeling, and precede the evolution towards overt type 2 diabetes by many years. Chronic heart failure, particularly that with preserved ejection fraction, is also associated with IR/Hyperins, which increases hospitalizations and deteriorates the prognosis more rapidly.
IR/Hyperins is mostly an asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic condition, like other risk factors. Therefore, it must be screened and treated promptly. Today we have multiple means of screening IR/Hyperins and numerous substances for the treatment, including drugs and natural substances, as well as lifestyle changes. We believe that IR/Hyperins should be screened in the population at risk and treated as soon as possible, and we aim to determine whether early diagnosis and treatment of this condition could lead to a further reduction in morbidity and mortality over the next few years.
Insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia (IR/Hyperins) is a silent pandemic and a serious public health problem. It has always been predominantly associated with the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, as highlighted in many studies, it can also be present, unacknowledged, even in normal-weight or under-weight subjects. We must not think of insulin solely as a “blood sugar hormone”, it has many other important roles. Many studies in the literature reports have indicated IR/Hyperins as an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. The blood levels of insulin are classically increased during IR, as a hormone with numerous targets, insulin also effectively targets the cardiovascular system. Chronically elevated insulin levels are well known to lead to sympathetic overactivity, endothelial dysfunction and vascular smooth muscle cell hyperplasia with the development of atherosclerosis, excess production of oxidative radicals and chronic inflammation, arterial hypertension, concentric left ventricular remodeling, and precede the evolution towards overt type 2 diabetes by many years. Chronic heart failure, particularly that with preserved ejection fraction, is also associated with IR/Hyperins, which increases hospitalizations and deteriorates the prognosis more rapidly.
IR/Hyperins is mostly an asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic condition, like other risk factors. Therefore, it must be screened and treated promptly. Today we have multiple means of screening IR/Hyperins and numerous substances for the treatment, including drugs and natural substances, as well as lifestyle changes. We believe that IR/Hyperins should be screened in the population at risk and treated as soon as possible, and we aim to determine whether early diagnosis and treatment of this condition could lead to a further reduction in morbidity and mortality over the next few years.
Keywords: Insulin Resistance, Hyperinsulinemia
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