The effects of valsartan on insulin sensitivity in patients with primary hypertension

Insulin resistance is an important risk factor of cardiovascular disease. This study was performed to determine the effects of valsartan on insulin sensitivity in patients with primary hypertension. In this study, non-obese subjects with primary hypertension and a reference group of healthy subjects matched by age, sex and body mass index were evaluated; patients with any other causes of peripheral insulin resistance and hyperlipidaemia were excluded. The effect of valsartan on insulin resistance, assessed by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR), fasting serum insulin levels, determined by radioimmunoassay, and fasting blood glucose concentrations, measured by the glucose oxidase method, were evaluated. All obtained data were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis. Before valsartan treatment, the fasting serum insulin levels were significantly elevated in the 20 hypertensive patients with primary hypertension compared with the 20 subjects in the reference group (19.6 +/- 7.1 versus 8.7 +/- 1.9 microIU/ml). The fasting serum insulin levels correlated with HOMA-IR. Correlation analysis also showed a significant relationship between HOMA-IR and both systolic and diastolic blood pressures (r = 0.71 and r = 0.77, respectively). In our study, we showed that patients with primary hypertension have a decreased insulin sensitivity that was reflected in high serum fasting insulin levels. Anti-hypertensive treatment with valsartan increases insulin sensitivity.