New Delhi, Nov 27 (NationPress) Insulin resistance can heighten the risk of aortic stenosis—a widely recognized heart valve disease—in men over 45, according to a study released on Wednesday.
The research, published in the esteemed journal Annals of Medicine, could pave the way for innovative treatments for aortic stenosis, a condition that may result in life-threatening heart failure.
Aortic stenosis transpires when the aortic valve narrows or fails to open completely, thereby diminishing blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body. If left untreated, the valve may progressively thicken and stiffen, causing the heart to exert more effort to pump blood.
Researchers from Kuopio University Hospital in Finland discovered several biomarkers—fasting insulin, insulin at 30 minutes and 120 minutes, proinsulin, and serum C-peptide—associated with elevated insulin resistance in individuals with aortic stenosis.
Individuals are classified as insulin resistant when their bodies struggle to respond adequately to insulin, prompting an increase in insulin production to regulate blood sugar levels.
Significantly, the research team concluded that these biomarkers remained relevant predictors of aortic stenosis, even after accounting for other established risk factors such as body mass index (BMI) and high blood pressure, or when excluding participants with diabetes or aortic valve deformities.
“This groundbreaking discovery emphasizes that insulin resistance could be a crucial and alterable risk factor for aortic stenosis,” stated lead author Dr. Johanna Kuusisto from Kuopio University Hospital.
As insulin resistance becomes more prevalent, “enhancing metabolic health could serve as a novel strategy to lower the risk of aortic stenosis and bolster cardiovascular health in aging populations,” Kuusisto remarked.
For this investigation, the researchers analyzed data from 10,144 Finnish men aged 45 to 73 years, all initially without aortic stenosis. After an average follow-up duration of 10.8 years, 116 men (1.1 percent) received a diagnosis of aortic stenosis.
While maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in regular exercise are known to enhance insulin sensitivity, Kuusisto urged for additional studies to assess how these lifestyle changes might help avert the heart condition.
