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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Intracoronary Acetylcholine Provocation Testing for Assessment of Coronary Vasomotor Disorders
Published on: August 18, 2016
PPARgamma agonists and coronary atherosclerosis
Melanie S Sulistio1, Adrienne Zion, Nandish Thukral
1University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Department of Cardiology, 7300 Medical Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. sulistio@uthscsa.edu
Abstract:
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is growing at an alarming rate and reaching epidemic proportions, and cardiovascular disease continues to be one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The key relationship between these two diseases (knowing that T2DM is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease) is insulin resistance and the detrimental effect it has on macrovasculature. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gammaagonists that are beneficial in the treatment of T2DM and have the added benefit of modifying lipid profiles. This review discusses the basic science linking insulin resistance to atherosclerosis and describes the major TZD trials in the recent literature. It also addresses the clinical implications of these studies and media scrutiny surrounding the recent controversial report that TZDs may be linked to an increased risk of myocardial infarction.
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