Insulin sensitivity in normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents.

Objectives: To investigate the insulin sensitivity in normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents.

Subjects: Fifteen young normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents were paired with 15 controls matched for age, sex and body mass index.

Methods: The insulin sensitivity was investigated by 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and modified insulin suppression test. A high-fat mixed meal was administered to observe the changes of TG levels.

Results: The plasma glucose and serum insulin responses to oral glucose challenge were comparable between both groups. High-fat mixed meal made no difference in the plasma glucose, serum triglyceride or insulin between the 2 groups. With the modified insulin suppression test, the steady-state plasma glucose levels (SSPG) were higher in the offspring of parents with essential hypertension (138+/-43 mg/dl) than in the control group (95+/-26 mg/dl). The diastolic blood pressure and heart rate of the offspring of hypertensive parents are also higher than the control group.

Conclusions: Insulin resistance exists in young normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents, and the impairment of insulin-mediated glucose uptake in these subjects develop before any alteration of fasting and postprandial triglyceride.