| Abstract
| - To evaluate the relationships between sympathetic nerve activity, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure (BP) elevation, we examined BP, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, and norepinephrine (NE) levels in age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched 662 normotensive (NT) and 188 borderline hypertensive (BHT) subjects every year for 10 years. All measurements were taken in the supine position after an overnight fast. BP elevation (BP-E) during 10 years was defined as 10% or more elevation of mean BP when compared with BP at entry. BP-E was noted in 186 (28%) of NT and in 52 (28%) of BHT. Fasting insulin level at entry in BHT with BP-E was significantly greater than that in subjects without BP-E (P< .01), although fasting insulin level in NT with BP-E at entry was similar to that in NT without BP-E. Supine plasma NE level at entry period and year 10 in NT with BP-E was significantly greater than that in subjects without BP-E (P< .05, P< .01, respectively). Supine NE in BHT regardless of BP-E was significantly greater than that in NT at both entry and year 10. These results demonstrate that sympathetic nerve hyperactivity appears to precede hyperinsulinemia and resultant BP elevation in a young, nonobese Japanese population. © 1997 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd. Am J Hypertens 1997;10:77
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