• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Call Us Today! (352) 867-9600
  • facebook
  • Prescription RefillPrescription Refill
  • Request AppointmentRequest Appointment
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Meet the Doctors
    • Syed Ali, M.D.
    • Biju Sinha, MD, MRCP
    • Josef Vesely, M.D.
  • Procedures
  • Insurance
  • Patient Registration & Forms
  • Services
    • Cardiology
    • Interventional Cardiology
    • Weight Management
    • Primary Care / Internal Medicine
    • Endocrinology
    • Vein Clinic
  • Location
  • Contact Us

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic Syndrome

  • Introduction
  • Anatomy
  • Causes
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Prevention
  • Am I at Risk
  • Complications

Introduction

Metabolic syndrome is a term used to describe the combined effects of several conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.  The conditions include high blood pressure, resistance to insulin, abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and obesity with excess body fat around the waist.  Metabolic syndrome, formerly referred to as Syndrome X and insulin resistance syndrome, is on the rise in the United States.  Lifestyle changes and medications can help delay or prevent the development of serious medical conditions.
Back to top

Anatomy

Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body does not recognize or respond to the insulin in the bloodstream.  Insulin allows blood sugar (glucose) to enter body cells where it is used as energy.  Insulin resistance causes elevated blood glucose levels because the glucose cannot get into the body cells and remains in the bloodstream.
Back to top

Causes

Metabolic syndrome describes several conditions that occur at the same time.  The combination of conditions increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.  The conditions include high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels and resistance to insulin, abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and obesity with excess body fat around the waist.  The exact cause of metabolic syndrome is unknown.  Researchers believe that insulin resistance is the underlying cause.  Researchers are not sure what causes insulin resistance, but it may be a combination of inherited and environmental factors.  Lifestyle factors such as being overweight or inactive contribute to the condition.
Back to top

Symptoms

Metabolic syndrome means that you have several disorders at the same time, including high blood pressure; obesity, with fat accumulation around the waist; high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol; and insulin resistance with higher than normal blood sugar levels.  Having one or more condition increases your risk of developing metabolic syndrome.  The more contributing conditions that you have, the greater risk you have for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Back to top

Diagnosis

If you have at least one component of metabolic syndrome, ask your doctor to check for the other conditions.  Blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, weight, and insulin evaluations can all be performed in your doctor’s office.  A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome requires three of the following conditions to be present:  obesity with body fat on the waist, elevated triglycerides, reduced HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, an elevated fasting blood sugar, or you are already receiving treatment for high blood sugar.
Back to top

Treatment

Lifestyle changes and medication can help improve all of the metabolic syndrome components.  It is helpful to exercise regularly and lose weight.  Even losing as little as 5% to 10% of your total body weight can lower your blood sugar levels and blood pressure.  You may ask your doctor to refer you to a nutritionist that can help you with meal planning and healthy food choices.  Stop smoking.  Smoking contributes to high blood pressure and increases insulin resistance.  There are many smoking products and resources that your doctor can recommend to help you quit smoking.
 
Attend all of your appointments to help your doctor monitor your condition.  If lifestyle changes alone do not resolve your conditions, medications may help.  Your doctor can prescribe medications for cholesterol, triglycerides, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and weight loss.  Ask your doctor if aspirin therapy to prevent heart attack and stroke is right for you. 
Back to top

Prevention

You may prevent metabolic syndrome by reducing the risk factors that you can control with lifestyle changes, including not smoking, weight reduction, regular exercise, and healthy eating. Take your medications as directed by your doctor, and attend all of your follow-up appointments.
Back to top

Am I at Risk

 Increasing age is associated with metabolic syndrome, although it is becoming more predominant in school age children.
_____ People that are Hispanic or Asian have a greater risk than people of other races do.
_____ Obesity is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.  Abdominal obesity, weight around the waist or an “apple shaped” body presents a greater risk.
_____ A family history of diabetes or diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) increases the risk of metabolic syndrome.
_____ High blood pressure increases the risk of metabolic syndrome.
_____ Polycystic ovary disease in women alters hormones and increases the risk.
_____   People with heart disease have an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Back to top

Complications

Metabolic syndrome can lead to heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.  Not only can these conditions reduce your activity level and quality of life, but they can also cause death.
Back to top

Copyright ©  - iHealthSpot Interactive - www.iHealthSpot.com

This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation or examination or replace the advice of your health care professional and should not be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment.

The iHealthSpot patient education library was written collaboratively by the iHealthSpot editorial team which includes Senior Medical Authors Dr. Mary Car-Blanchard, OTD/OTR/L and Valerie K. Clark, and the following editorial advisors: Steve Meadows, MD, Ernie F. Soto, DDS, Ronald J. Glatzer, MD, Jonathan Rosenberg, MD, Christopher M. Nolte, MD, David Applebaum, MD, Jonathan M. Tarrash, MD, and Paula Soto, RN/BSN. This content complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. The library commenced development on September 1, 2005 with the latest update/addition on February 16, 2022. For information on iHealthSpot’s other services including medical website design, visit www.iHealthSpot.com.

Footer

Patient Education

 

Our interactive patient education library can help you learn more about treatment options for conditions like arrhythmia, heart failure, and obesity. The library is a great resource for patients and caregivers alike.

 

Learn More

Patient Education

 

Our interactive patient education library can help you learn more about treatment options for conditions like arrhythmia, heart failure, and obesity. The library is a great resource for patients and caregivers alike.

 

Learn More

Contact Us

 

At Marion Heart Associates and Marion Internal Medicine Associates, we are always happy to hear from our patients. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can reach us by phone at (352) 867-9600 or visit the contact us page for our location and online appointment request form.

 

Learn More

  • facebook

Home

About Us

Meet the Doctors

Procedures

Insurance

Patient Registration & Forms

Services

Location

Contact Us

HIPAA Privacy Policy

Accessibility Statement

Sitemap

iHealthspot Medical Website Design and Medical Marketing by iHealthSpot.com

Copyright © 2022: Marion Heart Associates. All Rights Reserved

Marion Heart Associates offers disease treatment services - Cardiology , Interventional Cardiology , Primary Care/Internal Medicine ,Endocrinology , Vein Clinic , Weight Management .