Search
Close
Search
Advanced Search
Search Menu
AI Discovery Assistant

Abstract

Both hyperinsulinemia and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) have often been demonstrated in patients with essential hypertension (EH). Hyperinsulinemia may promote LVH. Therefore, we examined whether insulin and related hormonal effects could be independent determinants of left ventricular mass. Methods: The subjects were 25 outpatients with EH (64±2 y) and 23 untreated inpatients with EH (54±2 y). The 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and echocardiography were performed in all subjects. Ambulatory 24-h blood pressure, plasma and urinary norepinephrine, plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration were also examined in the inpatients group. Results: Left ventricular mass (LVM) was positively and significantly related to 2-h serum insulin concentration as well as integrated serum insulin in the outpatients group (r=0.752, 0.720, p<0.001 for both). Similarly, in the inpatients group, LVM was univariately significantly related to integrated serum insulin (r=0.572, p<0.05). However, by multiple regression analyses, when we entered values of plasma renin activity, plasma and urinary norepinephrine, LVM was significantly related to plasma renin activity as an independent variable (R2=0.629, p<0.05) but neither to serum insulin nor to norepinephrine concentration. Furthermore, when we entered both plasma aldosterone concentration and night-time blood pressure, LVM was significantly related to both plasma aldosterone concentration and night-time blood pressure as independent variables (R2=0.827, p<0.002), but neither to plasma renin activity nor to serum insulin. These results indicate that increased serum insulin may be involved in activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and the resultant aggravation of LVH in patients with essential hypertension.

insulin, neuro-hormonal interaction, myocardial hypertrophy
This content is only available as a PDF.
© American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd. 2001
Topic:
Issue Section:
Abstracts
You do not currently have access to this article.
Download all slides