Metabolic Syndromea.k.a metabolic syndrome X, cardiometabolic syndrome, insulin resistance syndrome and Reaven's syndrome

• Definition

• Etiology

Definition:

Metabolic syndrome is a disorder of energy utilization and storage, diagnosed by a co-occurrence 3/5 characteristic metabolic risk factors.

These metabolic factors are:

Large Waist Size

 

For men: 40 inches or largerFor women: 35 inches or larger

Cholesterol: High Triglycerides

 

Either 150 mg/dL or higher

or Using a cholesterol medicine

Cholesterol: Low Good Cholesterol (HDL)

 

Either For men: Less than 40 mg/dL

For women: Less than 50 mg/dLor

Using a cholesterol medicine

High Blood Pressure

Either Having blood pressure of 135/85 mm Hg or

greateror

Using a high blood pressure medicine

Blood Sugar: High Fasting Glucose Level

 

100 mg/dL or higher

Etiology:

Genetic factors often only influence each individual component of the syndrome. For example, family histories including type 2 diabetes (any insulin insensitivity), hypertension, coronary heart disease, and lipodystrophy (abnormal or degenerative conditions of the body's adipose tissue).

Environmental factors such as sedentary lifestyle (greater than 4 hours of inactivity at a stretch daily) and progressive weight gain leading to obesity. Stress, results in a dysfunctional HPA-axis that results in high cortisol levels which results in raised glucose and insulin levels. This promotes visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia (high blood lipid) and hypertension.

Patient Factors: Higher in people older than age 50. Women, especially the post-menopausal. Smokers. Psychiatric patients (generally due to inability to control lifestyle and drug effects). Rheumatic diseases especially psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. High Carbohydrate Diet.