Association between hypertension and insulin resistance in non-diabetic adult populations: A community-based study from the Iran

Abstract

Background and objectives: High blood pressure increases the probability of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. Also, insulin resistance can be defined as a risk factor for hypertension. The present study investigated the relationship between hypertension and insulin resistance in non-diabetic participants who were referred to Qazvin Metabolic Diseases Center. Material and methods: In this cross sectional study, 1103 participants (111 non-diabetic with newly diagnosed hypertension and 992 normotensive subjects aged ≥ 20 years) were enrolled from September 2014 to April 2016 in Qazvin (Iran). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, insulin resistance, waist circumference, body mass index, triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, fasting blood glucose (FBG) were measured. Fasting triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) was used as a surrogate of insulin resistance. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and p < 0.05 was assumed as significant level. Results: Ten percent of all participants had hypertension. TG/HDL-C was 3.78 ± 3.28 in non-HTN and 5.76 ± 5.35 in HTN participants (p < 0.001). The frequency of all cardio-metabolic risk factors (except HDL cholesterol level) was higher in hypertensive group, after adjusting for age and gender (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Based on these results, essential hypertension is associated with a higher prevalence of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in the non-diabetic community in Iran.