Insulin resistance, arterial stiffness and wave reflection.

Insulin resistance is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality but the underlying mechanism(s) are incompletely understood. Epidemiological data suggest that insulin resistance and arterial stiffness are interrelated. In insulin sensitive-subjects, insulin acutely decreases the augmentation index as measured using pulse wave analysis. In insulin-resistant subjects, this effect of insulin is blunted implying that insulin resistance involves also large arteries. This may provide one mechanism linking insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease.