Atherosclerosis and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Link Between Them?
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in regions like Eastern Europe, South Asia, and Latin America. A significant portion of these cases (80%) is linked to atherosclerosis, which can lead to severe conditions like ischemic heart disease an...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| author | Alina Diduța Brie Ruxandra Maria Christodorescu Roxana Popescu Ovidiu Adam Alexandru Tîrziu Daniel Miron Brie |
| author_facet | Alina Diduța Brie Ruxandra Maria Christodorescu Roxana Popescu Ovidiu Adam Alexandru Tîrziu Daniel Miron Brie |
| author_sort | Alina Diduța Brie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in regions like Eastern Europe, South Asia, and Latin America. A significant portion of these cases (80%) is linked to atherosclerosis, which can lead to severe conditions like ischemic heart disease and stroke, with atherosclerosis (ATS) responsible for the majority of cases. This review explores the multifaceted relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and ATS, highlighting their roles as both independent and interrelated contributors to cardiovascular risk. ATS is characterized by lipid accumulation and chronic inflammation within arterial walls, driven by factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and genetic predisposition, with endothelial dysfunction as a key early event. The early detection of subclinical ATS is critical and can be achieved through a combination of non-invasive imaging techniques—such as coronary artery calcium scoring and carotid ultrasound—and comprehensive risk profiling. IR, marked by impaired glucose uptake in liver, muscle, and adipose tissue, often precedes early diabetes and is associated with metabolic disturbances, including dyslipidemia and chronic inflammation. The diagnosis of IR relies on surrogate indices such as HOMA-IR, the QUICKI, and the TyG index, which facilitate screening in clinical practice. Compelling evidence indicates that IR independently predicts the progression of atherosclerotic plaques, even in non-diabetic individuals, and operates through both traditional risk factors and direct vascular effects. Understanding and targeting the IR–ATS axis is essential for the effective prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c271d09bac7d4cfdad1807bc45cfa0b4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-9059 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomedicines |
| spelling | doaj-art-c271d09bac7d4cfdad1807bc45cfa0b42025-08-20T03:32:32ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-05-01136129110.3390/biomedicines13061291Atherosclerosis and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Link Between Them?Alina Diduța Brie0Ruxandra Maria Christodorescu1Roxana Popescu2Ovidiu Adam3Alexandru Tîrziu4Daniel Miron Brie5Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tudor Vladimirescu Street, No. 14, 300174 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Medical Semiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tudor Vladimirescu Street, No. 14, 300174 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaCardiovascular Disease Institute Timisoara, Gheorghe Adam Street, No. 13A, 300310 Timisoara, RomaniaCardiovascular Disease Institute Timisoara, Gheorghe Adam Street, No. 13A, 300310 Timisoara, RomaniaCardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in regions like Eastern Europe, South Asia, and Latin America. A significant portion of these cases (80%) is linked to atherosclerosis, which can lead to severe conditions like ischemic heart disease and stroke, with atherosclerosis (ATS) responsible for the majority of cases. This review explores the multifaceted relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and ATS, highlighting their roles as both independent and interrelated contributors to cardiovascular risk. ATS is characterized by lipid accumulation and chronic inflammation within arterial walls, driven by factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and genetic predisposition, with endothelial dysfunction as a key early event. The early detection of subclinical ATS is critical and can be achieved through a combination of non-invasive imaging techniques—such as coronary artery calcium scoring and carotid ultrasound—and comprehensive risk profiling. IR, marked by impaired glucose uptake in liver, muscle, and adipose tissue, often precedes early diabetes and is associated with metabolic disturbances, including dyslipidemia and chronic inflammation. The diagnosis of IR relies on surrogate indices such as HOMA-IR, the QUICKI, and the TyG index, which facilitate screening in clinical practice. Compelling evidence indicates that IR independently predicts the progression of atherosclerotic plaques, even in non-diabetic individuals, and operates through both traditional risk factors and direct vascular effects. Understanding and targeting the IR–ATS axis is essential for the effective prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/6/1291insulin resistancesubclinical atherosclerosisendothelial dysfunctioncardiovascular risk |
| spellingShingle | Alina Diduța Brie Ruxandra Maria Christodorescu Roxana Popescu Ovidiu Adam Alexandru Tîrziu Daniel Miron Brie Atherosclerosis and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Link Between Them? Biomedicines insulin resistance subclinical atherosclerosis endothelial dysfunction cardiovascular risk |
| title | Atherosclerosis and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Link Between Them? |
| title_full | Atherosclerosis and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Link Between Them? |
| title_fullStr | Atherosclerosis and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Link Between Them? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Atherosclerosis and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Link Between Them? |
| title_short | Atherosclerosis and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Link Between Them? |
| title_sort | atherosclerosis and insulin resistance is there a link between them |
| topic | insulin resistance subclinical atherosclerosis endothelial dysfunction cardiovascular risk |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/6/1291 |
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