Circulating catecholamines and metabolic effects of captopril in NIDDM patients

Current Views on Dopaminergic Drugs Affecting Glucose Homeostasis

BACKGROUND

For more than three decades, it has been known that manipulation of dopaminergic system could affect glucose homesotasis in experimental animals. The notion that glucose homeostasis in human might be influenced by dopaminergic drugs has attracted a great deal of attention in the past two decades. In spite of rapid advancements in revealing involvement of dopaminergic neurotransmission in insulin release, glucose up-take and pancreatic beta cell function in general through centrally and peripherally controlled mechanisms, there are discrepancies among observations on experimental animals and human subjects.

CONCLUSION

With the expansion of pharmacotherapy in psychotic conditions, depression and endocrine abnormalities along with a sharp increase in prevalence of type two diabetes and disturbances of glucose homeostasis as a major risk factor for many cardiovascular complications and associated mortalities; it seems a critical analysis of recent investigations on drugs which act as agonists or antagonists of dopaminergic receptors in various tissues and organs may provide better insight into how safe and efficient these medicines could be prescribed. Furthermore, the other main objective of present review is to compare clinical data on significance of changes in blood glucose and insulin levels during short term and after long term treatment with these agents. This in turn would be beneficial for determining adequate strategies to combat or to avoid adverse effects associated with dopaminergic drug therapy.

Association of the SLC22A1, SLC22A2, and SLC22A3 genes encoding organic cation transporters with diabetic nephropathy and hypertension

BACKGROUND

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe long-term complication of diabetes characterized by continuous albuminuria, a relentless decline in renal function, and an increased arterial blood pressure.

AIMS

Our aim was to find out if single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the SLC22A1, SLC22A2, and SLC22A3 genes encoding organic cation transporters (OCTs) associate with DN or hypertension.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

We selected 90 SNPs ( approximately 1 SNP/4 kb) in and surrounding SLC22A1, SLC22A2, and SLC22A3 using the HapMap data. The SNPs were tested for association with DN and hypertension in 1,086 unrelated Finnish patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Eight of the SNPs were genotyped in 1,252 additional Finnish patients to verify the findings.

RESULTS

We detected nominal evidence of association (P < 0.05) between the SLC22A2 (SNPs rs653753, rs596881, and rs316019) and SLC22A3 (SNPs rs376563, rs2048327, rs2457576, and rs1567438) genes and DN and hypertension in Finnish men with T1DM. We were not, however, able to replicate the associations, and none of them reached the significance limit adjusted for multiple testing (P < 0.00009).

CONCLUSIONS

There was no clear association between the SLC22A1, SLC22A2, and SLC22A3 genes and DN or hypertension. Although several SLC22A2 and SLC22A3 SNPs indicated association, lack of association was evident after the replication study.

Effect of short-term ACE inhibitor treatment on peripheral insulin sensitivity in obese insulin-resistant subjects

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

This study was designed to investigate the effect of short-term ACE inhibitor treatment on insulin sensitivity and to examine possible underlying metabolic and haemodynamic effects in obese insulin-resistant subjects.

METHODS

A randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial was performed in 18 obese insulin-resistant men (age, 53 +/- 2 years; BMI, 32.6 +/- 0.8 kg/m(2); homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, 5.6 +/- 0.5; systolic blood pressure [SBP], 140.8 +/- 3.2; diastolic blood pressure [DBP], 88.8 +/- 1.6 mmHg), who were free of any medication. The aim was to examine the effects of 2 weeks of ACE inhibitor treatment (ramipril, 5 mg/day) on insulin sensitivity, forearm blood flow, substrate fluxes across the forearm, whole-body substrate oxidation and intramuscular triacylglycerol (IMTG) content.

RESULTS

Ramipril treatment decreased ACE activity compared with placebo (-22.0 +/- 1.7 vs 0.2 +/- 1.1 U/l, respectively, p < 0.001), resulting in a significantly reduced blood pressure (SBP, -10.8 +/- 2.1 vs -2.7 +/- 2.0 mmHg, respectively, p = 0.01; DBP, -10.1 +/- 1.3 vs -4.2 +/- 2.1 mmHg, respectively, p = 0.03). Ramipril treatment had no effect on whole-body insulin-mediated glucose disposal (before: 17.9 +/- 2.0, after: 19.1 +/- 2.4 micromol kg body weight(-1) min(-1), p = 0.44), insulin-mediated glucose uptake across the forearm (before: 1.82 +/- 0.39, after: 1.92 +/- 0.29 micromol 100 ml forearm tissue(-1) min(-1), p = 0.81) and IMTG content (before: 45.4 +/- 18.8, after: 48.8 +/- 27.5 micromol/mg dry muscle, p = 0.92). Furthermore, the increase in carbohydrate oxidation (p < 0.001) and forearm blood flow (p < 0.01), and the decrease in fat oxidation (p < 0.001) during insulin stimulation were not significantly different between treatments.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Short-term ramipril treatment adequately reduced ACE activity and blood pressure, but had no significant effects on insulin sensitivity, forearm blood flow, substrate fluxes across the forearm, whole-body substrate oxidation and IMTG content in obese insulin-resistant subjects.

Blood pressure control and cardiovascular outcomes in high-risk Hispanic patients--findings from the International Verapamil SR/Trandolapril Study (INVEST)

BACKGROUND

People of Hispanic origin are the fastest growing ethnic minority in the United States and often have hypertension and other comorbidities which increase the risk associated with coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS AND RESULTS

An analysis of the 8045 Hispanic patients enrolled in INVEST was conducted, and comparisons were made to the 14,531 non-Hispanic patients. INVEST was a prospective, randomized, open, blinded end point study in CAD patients with hypertension. After 61,835 patient-years of follow-up, treatment with either a verapamil sustained release (SR) or atenolol antihypertensive strategy resulted in greater blood pressure control in Hispanic patients, and Hispanic patients were at significantly lower risk of experiencing a nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or death (hazard ratio [HR] 0.87, 95% CI 0.78-0.97). Hispanic ethnicity was associated with an increase (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04-1.36), and randomization to the verapamil SR strategy was associated with a decrease (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.76-0.95), in the risk of new-onset diabetes. Use of trandolapril in the verapamil SR strategy was associated with reduced risk of new-onset diabetes, whereas increasing doses of atenolol and hydrochlorothiazide in the atenolol strategy were associated with increased risk of new-onset diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

The Hispanic cohort of INVEST had better blood pressure control and lower risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes compared with the non-Hispanic cohort. A verapamil SR strategy is an alternative to an atenolol strategy for the treatment of Hispanic patients with hypertension and CAD and can reduce the risk of new-onset diabetes.

The renin angiotensin system as a therapeutic target to prevent diabetes and its complications

The role of the RAAS in development and maintenance of blood pressure is well established. In addition, the deleterious effects of angiotensin II on the heart, vasculature, and kidneys have been clearly defined. There seems to be a close relationship between endothelial dysfunction, insulin resistance (a precursor to diabetes and coronary artery disease) and angiotensin II. The signaling pathways for insulin in the vascular wall interacts with the angiotensin signaling, giving rise to potential mechanisms for development of diabetes and resulting harmful effects. A large number of clinical trials using ACE inhibitors or ARBs have shown significant reduction in secondary endpoints in the development of new onset of diabetes. Ongoing prospective studies involving ARBs (eg, the Nateglinide and Valsartan Impaired Glucose Tolerance Outcomes Research trial) and ACE inhibitors (eg, the Diabetes Re-duction Assessment with Ramipril and Rosiglita-zone Medication trial) are testing the ability of certain agents to prevent type 2 diabetes. In the meantime, it is important to recognize insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome as entities that increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. In addition to lifestyle modifications, managing endothelial dysfunction and protecting the vasculature will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus through inhibition of the Renin-Angiotensin system

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is becoming a major health problem associated with excess morbidity and mortality. As the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing, prevention of the disease should be considered as a key objective in the near future. Besides lifestyle changes, various pharmacological treatments have proven their efficacy in placebo-controlled clinical trials, including antidiabetic drugs such as metformin, acarbose and troglitazone, or antiobesity agents such as orlistat. Arterial hypertension, a clinical entity in which insulin resistance is common, is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes and may precede the disease by several years. While antihypertensive agents such as diuretics or beta-adrenoceptor antagonists may worsen insulin resistance and impair glucose tolerance, newer antihypertensive agents exert neutral or even slightly positive metabolic effects. Numerous clinical trials have investigated the effects of ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARAs) on insulin sensitivity in hypertensive patients, with or without diabetes, with no consistent results. Almost half of the studies with ACE inhibitors in hypertensive nondiabetic individuals demonstrated a slight but significant increase in insulin sensitivity as assessed by insulin-stimulated glucose disposal during a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp, while the other half failed to reveal any significant change. The effects of ARAs on insulin sensitivity are neutral in most studies. Mechanisms of improvement of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity through the inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) are complex. They may include improvement of blood flow and microcirculation in skeletal muscles and, thereby, enhancement of insulin and glucose delivery to the insulin-sensitive tissues, facilitating insulin signalling at the cellular level and improvement of insulin secretion by the beta cells. Six recent large-scale clinical studies reported a remarkably consistent reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes in hypertensive patients treated with either ACE inhibitors or ARAs for 3-6 years, compared with a thiazide diuretic, beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, the calcium channel antagonist amlodipine or even placebo. The relative risk reduction averaged 14% (p = 0.034) in the CAPPP (Captopril Prevention Project) with captopril compared with a thiazide or beta1-adrenoceptor antagonist, 34% (p < 0.001) in the HOPE (Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation) study with ramipril compared with placebo, 30% (p < 0.001) in the ALLHAT (Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial) with lisinopril compared with chlortalidone, 25% (p < 0.001) in the LIFE (Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension study) with losartan compared with atenolol, and 25% (p = 0.09) in the SCOPE (Study on Cognition and Prognosis in the Elderly) with candesartan cilexetil compared with placebo, and 23% (p < 0.0001) in the VALUE (Valsartan Antihypertensive Long-term Use Evaluation) trial with valsartan compared with amlodipine. All these studies considered the development of diabetes as a secondary endpoint, except the HOPE trial where it was a post hoc analysis. These encouraging observations led to the initiation of two large, prospective, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trials whose primary outcome is the prevention of type 2 diabetes: the DREAM (Diabetes REduction Approaches with ramipril and rosiglitazone Medications) trial with the ACE inhibitor ramipril and the NAVIGATOR (Nateglinide And Valsartan in Impaired Glucose Tolerance Outcomes Research) trial with the ARA valsartan. Finally, ONTARGET (ONgoing Telmisartan Alone and in combination with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial) will also investigate as a secondary endpoint whether it is possible to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by blocking the RAS with either an ACE inhibitor or an ARA or a combination of both. Thus, the recent consistent observations of a 14-34% reduction of the development of diabetes in hypertensive patients receiving ACE inhibitors or ARAs are exciting. From a theoretical point of view, they emphasise that there are many aspects of the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes that still need to be uncovered. From a practical point of view, they may offer a new strategy to reduce the ongoing epidemic and burden of type 2 diabetes.

Mechanisms, Significance and Treatment of Vascular Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Endothelial dysfunction and increased arterial stiffness occur early in the pathogenesis of diabetic vasculopathy. They are both powerful independent predictors of cardiovascular risk. Advances in non-invasive methodologies have led to widespread clinical investigation of these abnormalities in diabetes mellitus, generating a wealth of new knowledge concerning the mechanisms of vascular dysfunction, risk factor associations and potential treatment targets. Endothelial dysfunction primarily reflects decreased availability of nitric oxide (NO), a critical endothelium-derived vasoactive factor with vasodilatory and anti-atherosclerotic properties. Techniques for assessing endothelial dysfunction include ultrasonographic measurement of flow-mediated vasodilatation of the brachial artery and plethysmography measurement of forearm blood flow responses to vasoactive agents. Arterial stiffness may be assessed using pulse wave analysis to generate measures of pulse wave velocity, arterial compliance and wave reflection. The pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes is multifactorial, with principal contributors being oxidative stress, dyslipidaemia and hyperglycaemia. Elevated blood glucose levels drive production of reactive oxidant species (ROS) via multiple pathways, resulting in uncoupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity, reducing NO availability and generating further ROS. Hyperglycaemia also contributes to accelerated arterial stiffening by increasing formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which alter vessel wall structure and function. Diabetic dyslipidaemia is characterised by accumulation of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and increased postprandial free fatty acid flux. These lipid abnormalities contribute to increasing oxidative stress and may directly inhibit eNOS activity. Although lipid-regulating agents such as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), fibric acid derivatives (fibrates) and fish oils are used to treat diabetic dyslipidaemia, their impact on vascular function is less clear. Studies in type 2 diabetes have yielded inconsistent results, but this may reflect sampling variation and the potential over-riding influence of oxidative stress, dysglycaemia and insulin resistance on endothelial dysfunction. Results of positive intervention trials suggest that improvement in vascular function is mediated by both lipid and non-lipid mechanisms, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and direct effects on the arterial wall. Other treatments, such as renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system antagonists, insulin sensitisers and lifestyle-based interventions, have shown beneficial effects on vascular function in type 2 diabetes. Novel approaches, targeting eNOS and AGEs, are under development, as are new lipid-regulating therapies that more effectively lower LDL-cholesterol and raise HDL-cholesterol. Combination therapy may potentially increase therapeutic efficacy and permit use of lower doses, thereby reducing the risk of adverse drug effects and interactions. Concomitant treatments that specifically target oxidative stress may also improve endothelial dysfunction in diabetes. Vascular function studies can be used to explore the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of action of new and established interventions, and provide useful surrogate measures for cardiovascular endpoints in clinical trials.

Renin-angiotensin system inhibition prevents type 2 diabetes mellitus

The inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) with either angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or AT1 angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) consistently and significantly reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes in patients with hypertension or congestive heart failure. The mechanisms underlying this protective effect appear to be complex and may involve an improvement of both insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion. These two effects may result, at least in part, from the well known effects of these pharmacological agents on the vascular system on the one hand, on the ionic balance on the other hand. Indeed, the vasodilation induced by ACEIs or ARBs could improve the blood circulation in skeletal muscles, thus favouring peripheral insulin action, but also in the pancreas, thus promoting insulin secretion. Preserving cellular potassium and magnesium pools by blocking the aldosterone effects could also improve both cellular insulin action and insulin secretion. However, besides these classical effects, new mechanisms have been recently suggested. A direct effect of the inhibition of angiotensin and/or of the enhancement of bradykinin on various steps of the insulin cascade signalling has been described as well an increase in GLUT4 glucose transporters after RAS inhibition. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that angiotensin II inhibits adipogenic differentiation of human adipocytes via A1 receptors and, therefore, it has been hypothesised that RAS blockade may prevent diabetes by promoting the recruitment and differentiation of adipocytes. Finally, some lipophilic ARBs appear to induce PPAR-gamma activity in the adipose tissue. Hence, the protection against type 2 diabetes observed after RAS inhibition may be partially linked to a thiazolidinedione-like effect. In conclusion, numerous physiological and biochemical mechanisms could explain the protective effect of RAS inhibition against the development of type 2 diabetes in individuals with arterial hypertension or congestive heart failure. What might be the main mechanism in the overall protection effect of ACEIs or ARBs remains an open question.

Pathophysiological implications of insulin resistance on vascular endothelial function

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance is a key component of the insulin resistance syndrome and is a crucially important metabolic abnormality in Type 2 diabetes. Insulin-resistant individuals are at significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease, although the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. The endothelium is thought to play a critical role in maintaining vascular homeostasis, a process dependent on the balance between the production of nitric oxide, superoxide and other vasoactive substances. Endothelial dysfunction has been demonstrated in insulin-resistant states in animals and humans and may represent an important early event in the development of atherosclerosis. Insulin resistance may be linked to endothelial dysfunction by a number of mechanisms, including disturbances of subcellular signalling pathways common to both insulin action and nitric oxide production. Other potential unifying links include the roles of oxidant stress, endothelin, the renin angiotensin system and the secretion of hormones and cytokines by adipose tissue. Lifestyle measures and drug therapies which improve insulin sensitivity and ameliorate endothelial dysfunction may be important in delaying the progression to overt cardiovascular disease in at risk individuals.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search using Medline, restricted to articles published in the English language between 1966 and the present, and reviewed bibliographies of relevant articles. An initial search strategy employing combinations of the MeSH terms: insulin resistance; endothelium, vascular; insulin; nitric oxide or hyperinsulinaemia produced over 300 references. Focused searches using keywords relevant to the molecular aspects of endothelial function and insulin signalling, and lifestyle or pharmacological interventions relevant to insulin resistance or endothelial function, produced over 300 further references. Abstracts of all references were screened before selecting those relevant to this review.

Insulin stimulates epinephrine release under euglycemic conditions in humans

In healthy subjects, acute physiological hyperinsulinemia induces activation of the sympathetic nervous system, but in the absence of hypoglycemia, plasma epinephrine levels have not been found to increase during insulin administration. However, the venous level of epinephrine reflects the net result of release, clearance, and uptake and therefore is not a good measure of adrenomedullary epinephrine secretion. The influence of 90 minutes of euglycemic physiological hyperinsulinemia (60 mU x m(-2) x min(-1); plasma insulin concentration, approximately 700 pmol x L[-1]) on epinephrine kinetics using the 3H-epinephrine tracer method was studied in 12 healthy normotensive, non-obese subjects. After bolus injection, [3H]-epinephrine was continuously infused with arterial and venous blood sampling at regular intervals, enabling calculation of total body (systemic) and forearm epinephrine release and clearance. Studies were performed in the basal state and during sympathetic stimulation by lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) of -15 mm Hg for 15 minutes. Control experiments ("sham" clamps, but with LBNP) were performed in four of the 12 individuals. Euglycemic hyperinsulinemia (all arterial glucose samples > or = 4.2 mmol x L[-1]) induced an increase of the arterial epinephrine concentration (P = .03), and tended to increase total body epinephrine release (P = .08). Total body epinephrine clearance did not change during hyperinsulinemia. The insulin-induced increase in forearm blood flow ([FBF] by plethysmography, from 3.0 +/- 0.4 to 3.8 +/- 0.6 mL x dL(-1) x min(-1), P = .01) was strongly correlated with the increase in arterial epinephrine (r = .78, P < .01). Plasma epinephrine concentrations did not change during control experiments (sham clamp). Sympathetic stimulation alone as induced by LBNP did not stimulate epinephrine release. However, the combination of insulin and LBNP significantly increased epinephrine release (from 0.37 +/- 0.06 to 0.56 +/- 0.12 nmol x m(-2) x min(-1), P = .03). We conclude that acute physiological hyperinsulinemia under euglycemic conditions induces epinephrine release. This effect is enhanced when hyperinsulinemia is combined with sympathetic stimulation by LBNP. Due to increased forearm removal, venous epinephrine concentrations hardly change. Epinephrine release was strongly correlated with the hemodynamic effects of insulin.