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IMPACT OF OBESITY AND INSULIN RESISTANCE ON VASOMOTOR TONE: NITRIC OXIDE AND BEYOND
Author(s) -
Stepp David W
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1440-1681
pISSN - 0305-1870
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1681.2006.04381.x
Subject(s) - nitric oxide , insulin resistance , tone (literature) , vasomotor , obesity , medicine , endocrinology , art , literature
SUMMARY1 Obesity is rapidly increasing in Western populations, driving a parallel increase in hypertension, diabetes and vascular disease. Prior to the development of overt diabetes or hypertension, obese patients spend years in a state of progressive insulin resistance and metabolic disease. Mounting evidence suggests that this insulin‐resistant state has deleterious effects on the control of blood flow, thus placing organ systems at a higher risk for end‐organ damage and increasing cardiovascular mortality. 2 The purpose of the present review is to examine the current literature on the effects of obesity and insulin resistance on the acute control of vascular tone. Effects on nitric oxide (NO)‐mediated control of vascular tone are particularly examined with regard to proximal causes and distal mechanisms of the impaired NO‐mediation of vasodilation. 3 Finally, novel pathways of impaired control of perfusion are summarized from the recent literature to identify new avenues of exploring impaired vascular function in patients with metabolic disease.