Metabolic syndrome of Men & Women: Symptoms, diagnosis, and causes
Metabolic syndrome is the coexistence of abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension that causes cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and their complications, low quality, and short lifespan.
What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic disorders. It represents a clustering of risk factors related to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
5 variables of Metabolic Syndrome
According to The National Institutes of Health guidelines Metabolic syndrome occurs when a person has the following three or more measures:
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Elevated fasting blood sugar »
- 1 mg / dL or more fasting glucose
-
Large waist »
Abdominal obesity (waist circumference greater than 40 inches in men and 35 inches above women) -
High triglyceride level »
Triglyceride level per milliliter of blood (mg / dL) or more than 150 mg level -
Reduced "good" or HDL cholesterol »
HDL cholesterol less than 40 mg / dL in men or less than 50 mg / dL in women -
Increased Blood Pressure »
Mercury (mm Hg) or greater than 130 mmol systolic blood pressure (peak number) or diastolic blood pressure of 85 mm Hg or higher (lower number)
The risk for metabolic syndrome increases with age.
Risk factors
The following factors increase your chances of having metabolic syndrome:
- Age. Your risk of metabolic syndrome increases with age.
- Ethnicity. In the United States, Hispanics— especially Hispanic women — appear to be at the greatest risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
- Obesity. Carrying too much weight, especially in your abdomen, increases your risk of metabolic syndrome.
- Diabetes. You're more likely to have metabolic syndrome if you had diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or if you have a family history of type 2 diabetes.
- Other diseases. Your risk of metabolic syndrome is higher if you've ever had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, or sleep apnea.
Complications
Having metabolic syndrome can increase your risk of developing:
- Type 2 diabetes. If you don't make lifestyle changes to control your excess weight, you may develop insulin resistance, which can cause your blood sugar levels to rise. Eventually, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes.
- Heart and blood vessel disease. High cholesterol and high blood pressure can contribute to the buildup of plaques in your arteries. These plaques can narrow and harden your arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
It is possible to prevent or delay metabolic syndrome, mainly with lifestyle changes. A healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment. Successfully controlling metabolic syndrome requires long-term effort and teamwork with your healthcare providers.
