Family Risks From Diabetes
First-degree relatives of people with diabetes are more likely to have impaired endothelial function and a concomitant impairment in the autonomic nervous system control of blood pressure, according to a recent report.
A group of investigators assessed 27 otherwise healthy children of a parent with diabetes. The evaluation included high-resolution ultrasound and other tests of vascular function. They were compared with 15 matched people with no link to diabetes.
Offspring of a parent with diabetes were more likely to have signs of impaired vascular function and a depressed baroreflex. Researchers suspect that the two effects are related.
Although a mechanism isn't understood, the authors suggest that patients whose parents have diabetes should be targeted for primary prevention, such as regular physical activity, to improve cardiovascular regulation.
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