Metabolic Syndrome by Marie Koenig-Siddle, PA-C

According to the American College of Cardiology,  Metabolic syndrome has been called the “perfect storm” when it comes to heart disease risk. It’s a combination of health problems—for example, carrying too much fat around your waist, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels and abnormal cholesterol levels—that often occurs together and raises your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. This clustering of risk factors happens because the body has a hard time regulating cholesterol (lipids), certain proteins and sugars (glucose).

It can be worrying to learn that you or a loved one has metabolic syndrome. The upside is that if it is found early, it can serve as an important warning and help put you on a heart-healthier path. Many lifestyle changes, including weight loss, can prevent and even reverse metabolic syndrome, or delay the development of serious health problems.  

At Ohio Heart Group, we offer a specialty clinic to specifically address Metabolic Syndrome, where the patient receives a  personalized care plan. If we can catch these risk factors early on through tests and a physical exam, and offer a meaningful plan that the patient can reasonably follow, we can help reduce the risk that these patients will go on to develop heart disease and diabetes.

Metabolic Syndrome: The Plain Facts

• 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. have metabolic syndrome.
• People with metabolic syndrome are 3 times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack than those who don’t have it.
• Most people with diabetes (85%) have metabolic syndrome.
• It becomes much more common as we age; nearly half of adults over age 60 have it.  
• It may overtake smoking as the leading risk factor for heart disease.
  Metabolic syndrome is “considered to be the driving force for a new cardiovascular disease epidemic,” according to the International Diabetes Federation. It has been steadily growing in prevalence, paralleling skyrocketing rates of obesity in the United States. There is also some suspicion that sedentary lifestyles may also play a role. For example, not exercising, working a desk job or sitting for long periods of time. So, all the more reason to get moving more—even 10-minute bursts can help make a difference.
  
  Why Knowing Your Risk Matters
  
  Untreated, metabolic syndrome can make a heart attack, stroke and type 2 diabetes much more likely. It can:  
• Result in too much insulin or sugar in the blood
• Damage the lining of the coronary and other arteries
• Raise levels of triglycerides in the blood
• Lower levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol in the blood
• Raise blood pressure
• Promote fatty deposits in the liver
• Interfere with insulin production, which may make diabetes more likely, along with related health issues including nerve, eye and kidney problems
  
  Metabolic syndrome has also been linked to sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome, infertility and dementia.