Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke.

The term "metabolic" refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body's normal functioning. Risk factors are traits, conditions, or habits that increase your chance of developing a disease.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary (heart) arteries. Plaque hardens and narrows the arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart muscle. This can lead to chest pain, a heart attack, heart damage, or even death.

You must have at least three metabolic risk factors to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Risk factors may include:

• Excess fat in the stomach area
• High blood triglyceride levels
• Low HDL cholesterol levels
• High blood pressure
• High fasting blood glucose 

In general, a person who has metabolic syndrome is twice as likely to develop heart disease and five times as likely to develop diabetes as someone who doesn't have metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is becoming more common due to a rise in obesity rates among adults. In the future, metabolic syndrome may overtake smoking as the leading risk factor for heart disease.

It is possible to prevent or delay metabolic syndrome, mainly with lifestyle changes.

Metabolic syndrome has several causes that act together. You can control some of the causes, such as overweight and obesity, an inactive lifestyle, and insulin resistance.

You can't control other factors that may play a role in causing metabolic syndrome, such as growing older. Your risk for metabolic syndrome increases with age.

You also can't control genetics (ethnicity and family history), which may play a role in causing the condition. For example, genetics can increase your risk for insulin resistance, which can lead to metabolic syndrome.

People who have metabolic syndrome often have two other conditions: excessive blood clotting and constant, low-grade inflammation throughout the body. Researchers don't know whether these conditions cause metabolic syndrome or worsen it.

Researchers continue to study conditions that may play a role in metabolic syndrome, such as:

• A fatty liver (excess triglycerides and other fats in the liver)
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (a tendency to develop cysts on the ovaries)
• Gallstones
• Breathing problems during sleep (such as sleep apnea)

People at greatest risk for metabolic syndrome have these underlying causes:

• Abdominal obesity (a large waistline)
• An inactive lifestyle
• Insulin Resistance

Some people are at risk for metabolic syndrome because they take medicines that cause weight gain or changes in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.

These medicines most often are used to treat inflammation, allergies, HIV, and depression and other types of mental illness.

Populations Affected

Metabolic syndrome is more common in African American women and Mexican American women than in men of the same racial groups. The condition affects White women and men about equally.

Some racial and ethnic groups in the United States are at higher risk for metabolic syndrome than others. Mexican Americans have the highest rate of metabolic syndrome, followed by Whites and African Americans.

Worldwide, certain ethnic groups, such as South Asians, are at increased risk for metabolic syndrome.

Other groups at increased risk for metabolic syndrome include:

• People who have a sibling or parent who has diabetes
• People who have a personal history of diabetes
• Women who have a personal history of polycystic ovarian syndrome (a tendency to develop cysts on the ovaries)

Heart Disease Risk

Metabolic syndrome increases your risk for heart disease. Heart disease risk can be divided into short-term risk and long-term risk.

"Short-term risk" refers to the risk of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease in the next 10 years. "Long-term risk" refers to the risk of developing heart disease over your lifetime.

Other risk factors, besides metabolic syndrome, also increase your risk for heart disease. For example, a high LDL cholesterol level and smoking are major risk factors for heart disease. 

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to check your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and waist size, especially if you carry extra weight around the middle. Managing these factors lowers your risk of diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.