Regulators of blood pressure and glycemia
Hypertension is a risk factor for more than heart disease; it quietly damage human body for years before symptoms appear. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to disability, poor quality of life, or even a fatal heart attack or stroke.
There is no specific level of blood pressure where cardiovascular and renal complications start to occur; thus, the definition of hypertension is arbitrary but needed for practical reasons in patient assessment and treatment.
Control of blood pressure in hypertension is a key measure in the management of cardiovascular risk and is a cornerstone of preventive strategies.
Early start of an antihypertensive treatment, such as ACE-inhibitors, is associated with a more effective and more lasting blood pressure control and may reduce the impact of cumulative cardiovascular risk exposure.
Hyperglycemia can damage blood vessels delivering oxygen to vital organs. This can increase the risk of stroke, heart disease and kidney, vision and nerve problems.
Most of blood sugar comes from food and drinks that contain carbohydrates.
Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) is involved in incretin hormone processing and therefore plays a key role in glycemic regulation.
DPP-IV inhibitory peptides may be used as food ingredients to improve glycemic regulation. This may help in the formulation of foods containing physiologically relevant doses of bioactive peptides.