The Relationship between Hyperinsulinemia, Hypertension and Progressive Renal Disease

Abstract

The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has risen dramatically in the past decade, mainly due to the increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus, and both impaired glucose tolerance and hypertension are important contributors to rising rates of ESRD. Obesity, especially the visceral type, is associated with peripheral resistance to insulin actions and hyperinsulinemia, which predisposes to development of diabetes. A common genetic predisposition to insulin resistance and hypertension and the coexistence of these two disorders predisposes to premature atherosclerosis. A constellation of metabolic and cardiovascular derangements, which also includes dyslipidemia, dysglycemia, endothelial dysfunction, fibrinolytic and inflammatory abnormalities, left ventricular hypertrophy, microalbuminuria, and increased oxidative stress, is referred to as the cardiometabolic syndrome. The components of this syndrome, individually and interdependently, substantially increase the risk of renal disease, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Similar findings and cardiorenal risk factors can occur in subjects with android obesity without excess body weight.

Recently, microalbuminuria has been gaining momentum as a component and marker for the cardiometabolic syndrome, in addition to being an early marker for progressive renal disease in patients with this syndrome or in those with diabetes. Furthermore, it is now established as an independent predictor of CVD and CVD mortality. This review examines the relationship between insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia and hypertension in the context of cardiometabolic syndrome, progressive renal disease and accelerated CVD. The importance of microalbuminuria as an early marker for the cardiometabolic syndrome is also discussed in this review.