
November 28, 2006
Insulin
Question from India:
Can there be resistance or restriction of insulin’s transcapillary movement due to any disorder resulting into decreased effect of insulin? If yes, which disorders are related to it?
Can variations in pressure in vessels especially oncotic or vascular wall inflammation or swelling of vascular walls or circulating cells cause such resistances?
Answer:
One condition that comes to mind is the presence of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Insulin induces vasodilitation in skeletal muscle in a nitric oxide-dependant fashion. This allows higher flows and increased delivery of glucose to the tissues. It is known that inflammation related to vascular disease will decrease nitric oxide generation in the vessels and decrease this flow-mediated glucose disposal.
JTL