Insulin resistance: site of the primary defect or how the current and the emerging therapies work

Insulin resistance is one of the cardinal pathophysiological components of the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and frequently co-exists with essential hypertension. Although insulin resistance is defined as inadequate target organ (muscle, liver and fat) responsiveness and/or sensitivity to insulin, the primary defect may be located in the target organs themselves or at their remote controller--the central nervous system. One of the ways of resolving this dilemma is studying the mechanisms of action of drugs that have insulin-sensitizing properties. In this brief review we discuss how the known and potential insulin sensitizers: metformin, appetite suppressants, thiazolidinediones, and the new class of centrally acting antihypertensive drugs, I1-receptor agonists, may work.