People with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque build-ups in artery walls (e.g. stroke and peripheral vascular disease) and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is becoming common worldwide.
What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome, sometimes also called syndrome X, is characterised by a group of metabolic risk factors being present in a person. The risk factors include:
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- Abdominal obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen)
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- Atherogenic dyslipidaemia (blood fat disorders – high triglycerides, low HDL “good” cholesterol and high LDL “bad” cholesterol – that causes plaque build-ups in artery walls)
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- Elevated blood pressure
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- Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (the body can’t use insulin or blood sugar properly)
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- Prothrombotic state, e.g. high fibrinogen or plasminogen (protein involved in the breakdown of blood clots) activator inhibitor-1 in the blood
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- Pro-inflammatory state (e.g. elevated C-reactive protein in the blood. C-reactive protein is a test that measures the amount of a protein in the blood that signals acute inflammation).
The dominant underlying risk factors for this syndrome appear to be abdominal obesity and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a generalised metabolic disorder causing inefficient use of insulin. This is why metabolic syndrome is also called the insulin resistance syndrome.
Other conditions associated with the syndrome include physical inactivity, aging, hormonal imbalance and genetic predisposition. Some people are genetically predisposed to insulin resistance. Acquired factors, such as excess body fat and physical inactivity, can lead to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Unfortunately most people with insulin resistance have abdominal obesity.
How is metabolic syndrome diagnosed?
There are no universally accepted criteria for diagnosing metabolic syndrome. Cardiologists recommend that metabolic syndrome be identified as the presence of three or more of the following components:
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- Elevated waist circumference: for men equal to or greater than 102 cm; for women equal to or greater than 88 cm
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- Elevated triglycerides: equal to or greater than 150 mg/dL (a measure of concentration, mass per unit volume, using milligrams per decilitre)
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- Reduced HDL (“good”) cholesterol: For men less than 40 mg/dL; for women less than 50 mg/dL
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- Elevated blood pressure: equal to or greater than 130/85 mm Hg (a pressure unit measuring per unit area
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- Elevated fasting glucose: equal to or greater than 100 mg/dL.
Recommendation for managing metabolic syndrome
For managing both long- and short-term risk, lifestyle changes are recommended. These lifestyle interventions include the following:
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- Weight loss to achieve a desirable weight (BMI less than 25 kg/m2)
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- Increased physical activity, with a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week
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- Healthy eating habits that include reduced intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol
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- Smoking cessation.
In addition, your health care provider may prescribe medicines to keep your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood glucose under control.
Sources
Metabolic syndome. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/home/ovc-20197517
What is metabolic syndrome? Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/heart/metabolic-syndrome/metabolic-syndrome-what-is-it#1
(Revised by M van Deventer)