INS and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Insulin resistance, defined as a diminished ability of cells such as adipocytes, skeletal muscle cells and hepatocytes to respond to the action of insulin, is not only the pathophysiological hallmark of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome [1], but also an independently and strongly associated factor with an increased risk of coronary disease [2], [3], heart failure [4] and mortality [5].