insulin resistance

insulin resistance n reduced sensitivity to insulin by the body's insulin-dependent processes (as glucose uptake, lipolysis, and inhibition of glucose production by the liver) that results in lowered activity of these processes or an increase in insulin production or both and that is typical of type 2 diabetes but often occurs in the absence of diabetes

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impairment of normal biologic responses to insulin, which may result from abnormalities in the beta-cell products, binding of insulin to antagonists such as anti-insulin antibodies, defects in receptors, reduced numbers of receptors, or defects in the insulin action cascade in the target cell. It can also be caused by excessive quantities of growth hormone, adrenocortical steroids, or some other regulators, or by chronic hyperinsulinemia secondary to hyperphagia. Incidence is increased with conditions such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, acromegaly, uremia, and certain rare, possibly genetic, autoimmune disorders.