Effects of telmisartan on insulin resistance and visceral fat distribution in Chinese hypertensive patients with obesity.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of telmisartan on body fat distribution and insulin sensitivity in patients with hypertension and obesity.


METHODS
In this prospective, randomized study, outpatients from the Sixth People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China were treated with telmisartan (n=23), or losartan (n=22) for 16 weeks between December 2009 to January 2011. Parameters such as waist and hip circumference, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipids, serum adiponectin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured before and after treatment. The abdominal visceral fat area (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. Insulin sensitivity was estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).


RESULTS
Compared with baseline, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in both groups. However, the levels of HOMA-IR, serum adiponectin, and TNF-alpha only improved in the telmisartan group. Similarly, the VFA was reduced in the telmisartan group, while the SFA did not change in either group.


CONCLUSIONS
Telmisartan improves both hemodynamic and metabolic abnormalities found in hypertensive patients with obesity. The additional benefits may be partly due to visceral fat remodeling.
Department of Gerontology, Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Yisan Road 600, Shanghai 200233, China. huanggaozhong@medmail.com.cn
Gao-Zhong
GZ
Huang
Ye-Hua
YH
Tang
Bei-Yun
BY
Wang
Bei
B
Zhang
Ting-Jun
TJ
Hu
Li
L
Zhang
Xiao-Yan
XY
Zhang
Yuan
Y
Zhong
D000368:Aged; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001565:Benzoates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077333:Telmisartan
D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001565:Benzoates; D000077333:Telmisartan