Insulin resistance

Question 1

What does insulin do?

Answer 1

Insulin regulates glucose in the blood

When there is no insulin or insulin does not work…
Diabetes develops

Question 2

What is insulin resistance?

Answer 2

when beta cells dont respond to insulin as they should

Question 3

How is insulin resistance diagnosed?

Answer 3

No symptoms

Risk factors can be reviewed by health providers. If at risk, blood glucose levels should be checked for prediabetes or diabetes.

Question 4

Risk factors of insulin resistance (11)

Answer 4

-overweight
-physically inactive
-family history of diabetes
-genetics (e.g. African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos),
-polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
-gestational diabetes
-high blood pressure
-low HDL
-high blood triglyceride
-heart disease
-smoking etc

Question 5

how does it affect other conditions?

Question 6

What are the mechanisms of insulin resistance?

Answer 6

1. Impairment of insulin signalling (e.g. skeletal muscle insulin resistance
2. Inflammation (e.g. adipose tissue insulin resistance)
3. Pathway-selective hepatic insulin resistance

Question 7

How is insulin sensitivity determined?

Answer 7

The hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp
“Gold standard” for the measurement of insulin sensitivity

Question 8

Can insulin resistance be reversed? (4)

Answer 8

Yes
Eat less
Move more
Medication
-likemetformin and thiazolidinediones, or TZDs, are insulin sensitizers that lower blood glucose, at least in part, by reducing insulin resistance.