Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when an individual has a number of risk factors that raise their risk for heart disease and other serious health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. This risk increases with the number of metabolic risk factors present.
If you have metabolic syndrome, you are at increased risk of developing the following conditions:
Cardiovascular disease
Together, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can lead to the build-up of fatty deposits (plaque) in the arteries – often known as coronary heart disease. If these deposits lead to a narrowing, or blockage of the arteries that supply the heart the amount of blood and oxygen reaching the heart is reduced which can lead to chest pain (angina), heart attack or stroke.
Metabolic syndrome appears to double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared with that of the normal population.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops when your blood sugar (glucose) is too high. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps the glucose you get from food and drink to be absorbed out of your blood stream and into your cells. If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin well. Over time, the resulting high blood glucose levels can lead to problems such as:
heart disease
stroke
kidney disease
eye problems
dental disease
nerve damage
foot problems.
Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of type 2 diabetes five-fold compared with the normal population.
Metabolic syndrome is also associated with a metabolic disorder called insulin resistance. If you have insulin resistance your body can't respond properly to the insulin made by your pancreas, which can cause your blood sugar levels to rise. Eventually, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is sometimes also known as insulin resistance syndrome.
Other health risks
It is not only health problems associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes that are linked to metabolic syndrome. Other conditions include:
liver disease – fat accumulation in the liver can lead to liver cirrhosis
kidney disease
polycystic ovary disease
obstructive sleep apnoea
increased risk of dementia with aging
cognitive decline in older adults.
While there are a number of serious conditions that are associated with metabolic syndrome, the prognosis can be quite good if people take their doctor’s advice, eat a balanced, healthy diet, exercise, stop smoking, and lose weight. All of these changes will reduce the chances of developing serious health problems such as a heart attack or stroke.
References
Samson SL and Garber AJ. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2014 Mar;43(1):1-23.