In a group of 19 patients selected at random, suffering from hypertension and signs of atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels glucose intolerance was revealed in 10 patients. Comparisons disclosed: a) Levels of immunoreactive insulin (IRI) rose more and declined more slowly in patients with glucose intolerance than in patients with glucose tolerance. b) The ratio IRI/glucose in plasma of patients with glucose intolerance increased less than in patients with satisfactory tolerance. c) 500 mg tolbutamide by the oral route reduced the blood sugar level during the first and second hour following administration of 75 mg glucose substantially more in patients with glucose intolerance. d) Tolbutamide reduced at the same time intervals also the rise of IRI levels, approximately equally in both groups of patients. e) Tolbutamide increased the IRI/glucose ratio during the investigated intervals. The authors conclude that a direct influence on glucose utilization in peripheral tissues is involved and an increased insulin sensitivity of skeletal muscles and other tissues after tolbutamide.

Keywords: Blood Glucose /analysis/; Female; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Hypertension /blood/; Insulin /blood/; Insulin Resistance; Male; Middle Aged; Tolbutamide /administration & dosage/