In families of subjects with premature ischaemic cerebrovascular attacks (a total of 45 families with 190 members) the authors detected a high incidence of dyslipidaemia, arterial hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, frequently with striking cumulation. The authors investigated therefore the relationship of the insulin level as an indirect reflection of insulin resistance with these risk factors. The fasting insulin levels correlated significantly positively with triglyceride levels, apolipoprotein B, atherogenic indices and negatively with HDL-cholesterol. The probands and siblings with arterial hypertension had significantly higher fasting insulin levels, as compared with subjects without hypertension which was due to a more frequent incidence of overweight. Patients with an impaired glucose tolerance and NIDDM had significantly higher fasting insulin levels and insulin levels after two hours (the latter value was not assessed in diabetes) and unfavourable "atherogenic" lipid and lipoprotein values, as compared with subjects without glucose intolerance and the control group. Overweight (BMI > 26) had an adverse impact on all investigated indicators of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism whereby a W/H ratio > 0.85 as a manifestation of central obesity further accentuated this adverse effect. The authors draw from these results therapeutic conclusions as regards the mentioned risk factors in these families. They emphasize the importance of non-pharmacological intervention of the metabolic X syndrome by weight reduction and more physical activity not only in families of subjects with early atherosclerosis but in the entire population which has a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: Cerebrovascular Disorders /complications/; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 /complications/; Female; Glucose Intolerance /complications/; Humans; Hyperlipidemias /complications/; Hypertension /complications/; Insulin Resistance; Male; Middle Aged; Syndrome