PRE-DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION (HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE)
 Insulin Resistance and obesity-linked
Pre-Diabetes can be an increased risk factor for hypertension,
or high blood pressure - one of the most important risk factors
for Cardiovascular Disease, which can lead
to a heart attack or stroke.
If left untreated, hypertension can also lead to a wide
variety of other life-threatening conditions, such as kidney
damage and congestive heart failure.
Hypertension is a serious health problem for several reasons:
it is very common with wide-spread consequences and can remain
asymptomatic (undiagnosed) until relatively late in its course.
Numerous studies have proven that Insulin Resistance and
resulting hyperinsulinemia (elevated insulin in the blood)
cause increases in blood pressure. This is because elevated
levels of insulin can cause atherosclerosis, which directly
affects the diameter of the inside of the blood vessels by
the build-up of plaque on the artery walls.
Blood pressure is determined by cardiac output - how much
blood the heart is pumping per beat, total peripheral resistance
and how easily the blood is pumped to the farthest points
of the body. Blood pressure itself is affected by various
factors, such as genetics, lifestyle and environment. The
higher the blood pressure, the greater the chances of sustaining
kidney damage and suffering a heart attack or stroke.
Think of your vascular system as a complex, interlocking
web of hoses, similar to the garden variety. The smaller
the size of the hose, the more pressure on all of the other
hoses as less blood flows through per minute. The heart must
pump harder to get blood to distant sites while facing the
decreased diameter of vessels. This increases the pressure
on the entire cardiovascular system, causing elevated blood
pressure.
Atherosclerosis occurs when deposits of fatty substances
like cholesterol, cellular waste products and other material
build up in the inner lining of an artery. This build-up
is commonly called plaque and most scientists agree it begins
with damage to the innermost layer of the artery wall. Causes
of this damage come from elevated levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol
and fat-carrying blood lipids called triglycerides in the
blood, as well as high blood pressure, tobacco smoke and
Pre-Diabetes.
Insulin Resistance Underlies Pre-Diabetes
Chronic elevations of glucose and insulin levels are classic
symptoms of Insulin Resistance, which is an underlying cause
of Pre-Diabetes. One of the primary risk factors for atherosclerosis
is an elevated level of triglycerides. The biggest risk factor,
in turn, for increasing the production of triglycerides is
the rate of your insulin secretion.
 As excess insulin caused by Insulin Resistance comes in
contact with the interior wall of the arteries, it is caustic
to the tissue, causing the initial injury that can lead to
plaque. As plaque builds up on the interior wall of the arteries,
the circumference of the arteries decreases, thus increasing
the pressure of the blood rushing through the entire vascular
system.
This complex interaction becomes a serious health concern
because, as high blood pressure rises, the chances of life-threatening
medical conditions also increase.
Another factor in Pre-Diabetes and heart disease may be
the role of inflammation, which is part of the body's immune
system.
Inflammation triggers a defense response to harmful stimuli
or injury by sending specialised blood cells to damaged areas
where they attack "invaders" like the renegade
molecules called "free radicals" and clean up dead
and dying cells.
In the case of inflammation and Pre-and Type 2 Diabetes,
the "invader" is thought to be excess levels of
insulin, which can be caused by the imbalance of blood glucose
and insulin called Insulin Resistance.
Inflammation can take an external form like the reddened,
tender skin which draws attention to a splinter in your finger.
Or it can be an unseen, internal process in response to something
harmful like high blood pressure.
To combat internal harm, inflammation produces C-reactive
protein (CRP), which, unfortunately, can damage the arteries
by helping to form plaque while attempting to tackle a long-term
condition like high blood pressure - often an accompanying
symptom of Pre-Diabetes.
Plaque is a substance that attaches itself to artery walls,
damaging those walls and seriously impairing blood flow,
which can leading to a heart attack or stroke. A blood test
measures CRP levels and the higher that level is, the more
at risk you are from cardiovascular disease. There's contradictory
evidence about whether CRP levels and Insulin Resistance
are closely linked.
Research about inflammation is often cutting edge material
that still needs ample verification. But scientists are gathering
data that inflammation precedes and may predict reversible
Pre-Diabetes, which, if left unchecked, can lead to the onset
of Type 2 Diabetes.
Previous research had already linked inflammation to heart
disease and obesity, which are both common in people with
Pre-Diabetes. To learn more, click
on Inflammation, Insulin Resistance and Pre-Diabetes.
Hypertension makes your heart work harder than normal and,
as a result, both the heart and arteries are more prone to
injury. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks,
stroke, kidney failure, eye damage and congestive heart failure.
If you have hypertension, are obese, smoke or have high blood
cholesterol levels or Pre-Diabetes, your risk of heart attack
or stroke goes up dramatically.
Untreated high blood pressure forces your heart to work
harder to pump enough blood and oxygen to your body's organs
and tissues. It also damages arteries and arterioles, the
very small arteries that connect larger arteries to tiny
capillaries. Arterial damage is a serious health issue because
hardened or narrowed arteries may not be able to supply enough
blood to your body's organs, thus reducing their ability
to function properly. In addition, plaque may dislodge from
the sides of the artery wall, forming a blockage in another
part of your body and causing a heart attack or stroke.
Although there are pharmaceuticals that can help lower blood
pressure, the Insulite Pre-Diabetes System is the only complete
multi-layered program that includes nutraceuticals (disease
specific vitamins, herbs and minerals), nutrition and exercise
plans and a client support network of doctors to help reverse
Insulin Resistance and Pre-Diabetes.
Click here to
read about a scientific breakthrough called the Insulite Pre-Diabetes System.
This unique system features formulations like Pre-SensitX,
which includes Oregon Grape Root, a nutraceutical that raises
insulin sensitivity and lowers blood glucose levels.
You may be interested in some related information
on Pre-Diabetes and the Insulite Pre-Diabetes System:
Click here
to read about Pre-Diabetes and Heart Health
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