Coupling of metabolism and cardiovascular response represents normal physiology.

In this issue of Clinical Science, Fugmann and co-workers demonstrate a highly integrated cardiovascular response to changes in plasma concentrations of glucose, triacylglycerols (triglycerides), fatty acids and insulin. Since the different substrates, alone and combined, evoked these changes, this response is likely to be a physiological one and directed towards minimizing the extent and duration of substrate elevations that could cause vascular dysfunction.