QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: GLOSSARY

Diabetes and coronary heart disease

High (out of control) blood sugar levels occur in two types of diabetes mellitus. In type 1 (juvenile type) there is an insufficiency of the hormone insulin, which may have to be injected daily under medical supervision. In type 2 (adult type) the problem is usually resistance of the body tissues to insulin, the blood levels of which may be higher than normal. Insulin resistance is also found in obesity and high blood pressure patients, and in apparently normal people, particularly of Asian ethnic origin. These people are more susceptible to coronary thrombosis. Insulin resistant subjects are recommended to take a low carbohydrate (especially low sugar) diet. The risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) can be reduced by taking aspirin, and or an "ACE inhibitor" (prescription only). The risk could probably also be reduced with clopidogrel or a 5HT2 antagonist (antiplatelet agents) but this possibility requires further research.

Insulin Resistance Syndrome

Insulin is a hormone which keeps the amount of sugar in the blood down. Insulin resistance syndrome consists of the triad of obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure) and adult onset diabetes together with people who have insulin resistance but show none of these manifestations. The tissues of these people require higher levels of insulin to obtain the same effect.

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