Hi!

Since hypertension and elevated lipid problems can be associated with insulin resistance it would seem to me that treating a person with a drug that decreases insulin resistance like Actos might work as well as giving a person multiple medications for the other problems. I would think that when a person presents with these problems one of the first things they should do is investigate their blood sugar levels yet it didn't happen with me and I don't hear a lot of people taking about their glucose levels the way they do their cholesterol levels.

I have read that there has been a 70% increase in the cases of type II diabetes diagnosed in the past 10 years in the age group 30-39. That sounds pretty serious to me.

Chris

Hi Chris, I agree with you. The MD's often just treat symptoms not the cause of disease. I have been reading the Dr Bernstein book and others lately. It seems to my if you "cure" or control the insulin resistance the colesterol and BP will take care of itself.
barb

Hypertension and high lipid levels are also two (2) risk factors for heart disease as well as diabetes.

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Hi Barb, Chris, and Ken,
___Although the published stats say that 60% of diabetics have high lipid numbers and risk CVD, I believe its closer to 90%. One of the clinical reports I've read stated that Avandia had antioxidant properties and was of benefit in preventing atherosclerosis. Since Actos is a glitizone also, I assume that it is of some benefit also. Unfortunately, it is terribly expensive, and with regards to my wife, its action diminished to nothing after about eight months. The only side effect was weight gain. One thing that has helped her a bit is the combination of chromium polynicotinate, and vanadyl sulfate. Chromium is necessary to the transport of glucose into the fat cells, while vanadium sensitizes the muscle cells to the transport of glucose. It's used by body builders to increase their endurance and glycogen storage in the muscles. No more than 10mg twice a day should be used.
___About 80% of the cases of hypertriglyceridemia (tg's over 1000) are common to the diabetic. In my wife's case, she has had as high as 6625mg/dl. Many complications occur because of high triglycerides. Any doctor that ignores them is ignoring something as bad as LDL's and VLDL's. When tg's are over 800 to 1000, small semi-translucent eruptions occur around the eyes, back of the hands and wrists, and on the ankles and top of the feet. These are xanthomas. They are minute tumors containing foam cells, and are the same
types of cells that migrate in the arterial endolhelium and cause atherogenesis. There is no cure, just treatment. The disease affects almost all of the body's functions, and its complexity is such that a cure will be many, many years in the future. I kind of ran away with myself...sorry,,, God bless all,,,,,,Oldguy

Hi Old Guy:

I would really wonder about any doctor who ignored triglycerides at a level of 1,000.
Even the cardiologists I saw, who were lax in my opinion, said trigs of 400 was "too high".

Have you heard of anyone being treated with one of these diabetes drugs (assuming they show signs of impaired glucose tolerance) and their lipid and hypertension problems are solved? Can that process you described causing hypertension be reversed, or is the damage done once it happens?

Chris

Hi Chris,
____Yes, I agree, but it's true. Most doctors take a hard view of the cholesterol numbers and even say that triglycerides have not been linked to CVD. I'm in total disagreement. The clinical reports I have read that expound this thought are dated back in the late 80's. Such is the thinking of our doc's. Once out of school, believe only the drug companies, and don't read anymore. What else can I think? This must be it.
___About the crosslinking, Alteon is now approaching phase II testing (human testing for 5 years) on a new drug they call ALT-711 that they say breaks the crosslinks. They say nothing else does it. They also dispute Aminoguanidine as one of these. I tend to disbelieve them since aminoguanidine has been found not only to prevent glycation, and slowly reverses the process. It's about 87% effective. It is an iNOs inhibitor. (induceable nitric oxide synthase inhibitor). Nitric oxide (actually nitrogen monoxide) is made by the body for signaling in low proportions, but is cytotoxic in higher proportions. It is a free radical that induces the start of glycation. It is also the radical that destroys the kidneys, and the retinas in the eyes. L-Arginine can be substituted for aminoguanidine, but it is not as affective. It can be enhanced by B6, B12, and folic acid. (in effect, homocysteine protectors.) I'm late tonight and have to go,,,God bless and care for you,,,,Oldguy