Skeletal muscle blood flow is not a determinant of insulin resistance in essential hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the haemodynamic effects of insulin and their relationship to insulin resistance in essential hypertension.


METHODS
Group comparison between patients with essential hypertension and normal controls.


METHODS
Outpatient clinics serving the greater Belfast area.


METHODS
Eleven patients with essential hypertension and eight age-, sex- and weight-matched control subjects were recruited. Administration of all antihypertensive agents to the hypertensive patients was stopped 6 weeks prior to the study.


METHODS
Leg blood flow was measured using venous occlusion plethysmography. Insulin action was assessed using the hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp technique.


RESULTS
The hypertensive subjects were insulin-resistant compared with the normal controls. Insulin infusion resulted in similar increases in calf blood flow in the two groups. There was no correlation between calf blood flow and measurements of insulin sensitivity in either group.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in whole-body glucose uptake in hypertensive and control subjects are not likely to be related to differences in insulin-induced stimulation of muscle blood flow.
Hunter
S J
SJ
Metabolic Unit, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
Harper
R
R
Ennis
C N
CN
Sheridan
B
B
Atkinson
A B
AB
Bell
P M
PM
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply*; D010991:Plethysmography; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D007328:Insulin