Resistência à insulina, obesidade e síndrome metabólica

Abstract

Insulin is an anabolic hormone synthesized in the pancreas by β- cells. It is a polypeptide responsible for reduced blood glucose promoting the entry of glucose into cells and is able to regulate various metabolic processes. Insulin resistance is characterized by a decrease or loss of ability of insulin to stimulate glucose utilization and can occur by a deficiency in insulin receptors or by some change in signaling mechanism. The hyperglicemia leads to type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is the most common type of diabetes and is associated with a sedentary lifestyle and high calorie diet, which lead to obesity. Obesity is a multifactorial disease associated with increased risk of other chronic diseases and plays an important role in the production of adipokines pro- and anti- inflammatory. The pro-inflammatory proteins are involved in systemic inflammation, inducing the development of insulin resistance and consequently hiperinsulinemia, which is often associated with obesity. This association leads to vasoconstriction, sodium retention and activation of the sympathetic system, which predispose to hypertension. These comorbidities constitute the metabolic syndrome.