Diseases Associated With Metabolic Syndrome

Find out what metabolic syndrome is, what are some diseases associated with it and what are the daily habits that can control or prevent them to avoid complications in the future.

The metabolic syndrome is a set of metabolic disorders that occur simultaneously, and that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

The metabolic disorders to which we refer and which we will detail below are the following:

• Increased blood pressure.
• Excess body fat around the waist.
• High blood sugar
• Abnormal levels of cholesterol or triglycerides.

Metabolic syndrome is a disorder that has become a serious public health problem. It is even on the rise due to a higher incidence of obesity and changes in habits, such as a sedentary lifestyle, a diet rich in calories and fat, the aging of the population, etc.

Diseases associated with metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is not a disease in itself. However, it is a sign that a person could develop more serious health problems. Therefore, recognizing these associated disorders offers the possibility of taking the necessary measures to prevent potential future diseases.

1. Increase in blood pressure

The hipertersión or high blood pressure, can be defined as the force or pressure exerted against the blood arteries. This may not be a problem, however having high blood pressure can lead to:

• Strokes
• Cardiorespiratory failure.
• Heart attack.
• Renal insufficiency.

For these reasons, it is very important to keep your blood pressure under control. With exercise, diet, and, in some cases, medications, you can stay at your proper levels.

2. Excess fat in the abdominal area

The  excess fat around the waist (abdominal)  tends to favor the development of diabetes. It is considered metabolic syndrome when the abdominal girth is, approximately, greater than 102 centimeters in men and 88 cm in women.

People with increased abdominal fat have a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Abdominal obesity has worse consequences for metabolism, since it favors the development of diabetes and gout. In addition, those who suffer from it have a high possibility of accumulating fat in other organs as well, which favors the appearance of cardiovascular diseases.

3. High blood sugar

Diabetes can be part of the diseases associated with metabolic syndrome.  The cause may be insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone made by the body to help convert sugar in food into energy for the body.

In people with insulin resistance, cells do not respond normally to insulin. So glucose cannot enter cells that easily. As a result, blood glucose levels rise, even as the body tries to control it by generating more and more insulin.

As a consequence, insulin resistance creates excess sugar in the blood and thus sets the stage for the onset of diabetes. Many people with type 2 diabetes also have metabolic syndrome.

4. Abnormal levels of cholesterol or triglycerides

High cholesterol level, along with hypertension, can contribute to the accumulation of plaques in the arteries, or atheromas. These plaques narrow and harden the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

For this reason, it is important to control triglycerides which are the fat found in the blood and cholesterol levels.

How to prevent or treat metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a life-long disease. However, lifestyle changes can help control risk factors and reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease and diabetes. Therefore, the goal of treatment is to reduce the risk of these diseases.

A healthy lifestyle can help prevent metabolic syndrome. This includes losing weight if you are overweight. It is also advisable to do more physical activity and eat a healthy diet; quit tobacco, if you smoke, and avoid excess alcohol if you drink.

If those changes aren’t enough, your doctor may suggest medications to help control blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood glucose.