WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Insulin resistance associated with prediabetes appears to raise a person’s risk of a common and serious heart valve disease, a new study says.
Adults with insulin resistance are at higher risk of developing aortic stenosis, a heart condition in which the aortic valve narrows, restricting blood flow out of the heart, researchers report in the journal Annals of Medicine.
Untreated, aortic stenosis can lead to heart failure and death.
“This novel finding highlights that insulin resistance may be a significant and modifiable risk factor for aortic stenosis,” lead researcher Dr. Johanna Kuusisto, a cardiologist with the Kuopio University Hospital in Finland, said in a news release.
“As insulin resistance is common in Western populations, managing metabolic health could be a new approach to reduce the risk of aortic stenosis and improve cardiovascular health in aging populations,” she said.
In aortic stenosis, the aortic valve thickens and stiffens over time, making the heart work harder to pump blood. It can take years to develop symptoms like chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and heart palpitations.
More than 13% of Americans 75 and older have aortic stenosis, according to the American Heart Association.
Insulin resistance tends to develop years before the onset of type 2 diabetes. It occurs when cells fail to respond effectively to insulin, causing blood sugar levels to rise.
For this study, researchers analyzed data on more than 10,000 Finnish men 45 to 73 years old. Over an average 10.8 years of follow-up, 116 (1.1%) were diagnosed with aortic stenosis.
The research team found that several biomarkers related to insulin resistance were associated with increased risk of aortic stenosis, including fasting insulin levels.
These markers remained associated with the heart valve disease even after adjusting for other known risk factors, researchers said.
“Future studies are now warranted to determine whether improving insulin sensitivity through measures such as weight control and exercise can help prevent the condition,” Kuusisto said.
More information
The American Heart Association has more on aortic stenosis.
SOURCE: Taylor & Francis, news release, Nov. 27, 2024
