[Clinical manifestations of insulin resistance. The hormonal-metabolic syndrome X (5H), its prevalence and impact on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. I].

Insulin resistance (prereceptor, receptor, postreceptor) is a complex phenomenon. It penetrates into the clinical picture via hyperinsulinism as impaired glucose tolerance, or NIDDM, as hyperlipoproteinaemia, arterial hypertension and hirsutism in women (syndrome 5H) associated with the polycystic ovary syndrome or the HAIR-AN syndrome. Based on a group of their 480 patients with NIDDM, 108 women with hirsutism, 320 patients with myocardial infarction and the results of the national cardiovascular programme the authors estimate the prevalence of the 5H syndrome as follows: in the general population 5-10%, in patients with arterial hypertension 15-30%, in NDDM 65-90%, in hirsutic women 10-20% and in patients with myocardial infarction 30-50%. These figures could be, however, substantially higher if as the criterion the IRI response was taken or that of C-peptide in OGTT or the results of the hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp. The clinical 5H syndrome is a phenomenon of latent insulin resistance perceived late by doctors and patients.