Metabolic Syndrome
(Syndrome X; Insulin Resistance Syndrome; Dysmetabolic Syndrome)
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Coronary Heart Disease
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Definition
Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome puts a person at risk for:
Metabolic syndrome is characterized by:
- Central obesity—high amount of fat around the waist
- Low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
- High levels of triglycerides—type of fat measured in the blood
- Elevated blood pressure
- Elevated fasting blood sugar
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Causes
The exact cause of metabolic syndrome is not known. It believed to be due to a combination of factors, such as:
- Genetic factors
- Central obesity
- Lack of physical activity
- Poor diet
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Risk Factors
Factors that increase your risk of metabolic syndrome include:
- Ethnicity—Mexican American women, Caucasians, and African Americans.
- Obesity
- Having disorders or conditions associated with metabolic disorder such as:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Cholesterol problems
- Coronary artery disease
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Genes—Having a family history of the disorders listed above
- Physical inactivity
- Poor diet
- Unhealthy habits, such as smoking
- Certain medication, such as atypical antipsychotics
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Diagnosis
You may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome if you have at least three of the following:
- Waist measurement—greater than 40 inches in Caucasian men (35 inches in Asian men) or 35 inches in Caucasian women (30 inches in Asian women)
- Fasting glucose level—greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL* (5.55 mmol/L)
- Triglyceride level—greater than or equal to 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)
- HDL cholesterol—less than 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L) in men and less than 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) in women
- Blood pressure—greater than or equal to 130/85 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)
*mg/dL = milligrams per deciliter blood, mmol/L = millimoles per liter blood
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Treatment
The treatment of metabolic syndrome involves:
- Treatment of underlying causes
- Treatment of specific metabolic abnormality
Gastric bypass or other weight los