Insulin-Sensitizing Effects of Telmisartan
Implications for treating insulin-resistant hypertension and cardiovascular disease
- Harrihar A. Pershadsingh, MD, PHD123 and
- Theodore W. Kurtz, MD3
- 1Department of Family Medicine, Kern Medical Center, Bakersfield, California
- 2Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California
- 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Address correspondence to Dr. Harrihar A. Pershadsingh, Department of Family Medicine, Kern Medical Center, 1830 Flower St., Bakersfield, CA 93305. E-mail: pershadh{at}kernmedctr.com
The angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) telmisartan was reported to activate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) in transactivation assays, whereas other ARBs, with the possible exception of irbesartan, did not (1). Telmisartan also induced adipogenesis and increased the expression of PPARγ target genes in preadipocyte fibroblasts (1), both of which are hallmark properties of PPARγ agonists.
We report a case of a 52-year-old man with hypertension, visceral obesity (BMI 34.4 kg/m2), and impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes), in whom administration of telmisartan (80 mg/day) normalized blood pressure, improved insulin resistance, and reduced plasma triglycerides. During the 10 weeks after initiating telmisartan, …
