Book excerpt: In Insulin Resistance: The Metabolic Syndrome X, outstanding investigators thoughtfully summarize our current understanding of how insulin resistance and its compensating hyperinsulinemia (Syndrome X) play a major role in the pathogenesis and clinical course of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease-the so-called diseases of Western civilization-as well as polycystic ovary disease. Under the aegis of Gerald Reaven, the discoverer of Syndrome X, the distinguished authorities writing here detail for the first time the pathophysiological consequences and the clinical syndromes, excluding Type 2 diabetes, related to insulin resistance. They also examine the genetic and lifestyle factors that contribute to the wide differences in insulin action that exist in the population at large. Each author has been encouraged to present a point of view that reflects their unique insights. The first authoritative book on the subject, Insulin Resistance: The Metabolic Syndrome X illuminates the special importance of insulin resistance as a major cause of hypertension, heart disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Its thoughtful and detailed approach will make it an essential reference for basic and clinical researchers seeking to understand these critical phenomena.