[Clinical significance of blood glucose levels in the pathogenesis of (atherosclerotic) macroangiopathy]

Abstract

Numerous authors suggested postprandial blood glucose elevation as a significant contributor in development of macroangiopathy. Epidemiological studies and animal experiments delivered supportive data about causal relationship between postprandial hyperglycaemia and macroangiopathy in type 2 diabetes. Interestingly there is no chronological correlation between presence of hyperglycaemia and development of macroangiopathy neither in type 2, nor in type 1 diabetics. Strict metabolic control does not result in slowing progression of macroangiopathy (glucose paradox). Premature macroangiopathy documented in the prediabetes phase of type 2 diabetes is strongly related to presence of insulin resistance, hyperinsulinaemia, high blood pressure, and dyslipidaemia; development of atherosclerosis in advanced stage of type 1 diabetes is also rather associated with presence of high blood pressure and dyslipidaemia but not that of hyperglycaemia. With regard to role of postprandial hyperglycaemia it should be emphasized, that not the postprandial blood glucose elevation per se, but rather the postprandial complex metabolic cluster (hyperinsulinaemia, hypertrygliceriadaemia, etc) is supposed to be related with development of macroangiopathy in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.