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Insulin Resistance Testing

Meaning

Insulin Resistance Testing encompasses a range of clinical and laboratory methods used to determine the degree to which a patient’s cells fail to respond effectively to the hormone insulin. This metabolic condition requires the pancreas to produce excessive insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels, a state known as hyperinsulinemia. Key diagnostic tools include the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting insulin levels, and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT). Identifying insulin resistance is critical because it is a foundational precursor to Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome.