KETANSERIN EFFECTS ON INSULIN SENSITIVITY IN NONOBESE, NONDIABETIC HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS - AN EVALUATION BY THE EUGLYCEMIC-HYPERINSULINEMICCLAMP TECHNIQUE

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of ketanserin on insul in resistance in nondiabetic hypertensive patients. Eleven nonobese, n ondiabetic mild to moderate hypertensives (6 males, 5 females, aged 39 - 59 years), after a 4 week run-in period on placebo, were treated wi th ketanserin 40 mg twice daily for 12 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) (by standard mercury sphygmomanometer) and insulin sensitivity (by the eug lycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique) were evaluated at the end of the placebo period and at the end of the treatment period. Ketanserin produced a significant decrease in BP (from 160 +/- 13/100 +/- 4 mmHg to 146 +/- 10/89 +/- 5 mmHg p < 0.01). The amounts of exogenous gluco se required to hold glucose levels constant during clamp were not chan ged by ketanserin as compared to placebo 34.5 +/- 3.5 g vs 33.8 +/- 3. 1 g). The rate of glucose infusion required during the last 60 minutes of the clamp, used as an indicator of insulin sensitivity, was not di fferent before and after treatment (5.52 +/- 0.41 mg/min/kg vs 5.21 +/ - 0.39 mg/min/kg). These results suggest that in nonobese, nondiabetic hypertensive patients ketanserin monotherapy is effective in reducing BP values without affecting insulin sensitivity.