HYPERTENSION, INSULIN RESISTANCE AND DIABETES-MELLITUS - PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC INTERACTIONS AND THERAPEUTIC CONSEQUENCES

The pathophysiological connections between insulin resistance, hypertension and type 2 diabetes are discussed in this review article. Increased blood pressure levels are often found in type 2 diabetic patients long before the diabetes itself is diagnosed. By contrast, in type 1 diabetes hypertension is predominantly the consequence of diabetic glomerulopathy. Non-pharmacological strategies should be favoured in the treatment of hypertension in type 2 diabetic patients before specific pharmacological intervention is started. Antihypertensive treatment with beta-blocking agents and diuretics is criticized by many experts in the field of metabolic disorders, since these drugs induce a deterioration of glycaemic control and lipid metabolism in diabetic patients. Since calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors and alpha 1-specific blocking agents have no influence on metabolism, these drugs are recommended for the antihypertensive treatment of diabetic patients. Further studies should be undertaken to clarify, whether ACE-inhibitors have a specific nephroprotective effect. Since most type 2 diabetic patients do not develop diabetic nephropathy, a possible nephroprotective effect of ACE inhibitors is only relevant to the antihypertensive treatment of type 1 diabetic patients.