Metabolic syndrome – what should you actually know about it?

Metabolic syndrome is becoming more and more common among residents of Western, highly developed countries. It occurs when a number of metabolic risk factors, such as obesity and insulin resistance, are met. This syndrome is commonly referred to as the X syndrome. There are many alternative terms describing this condition: syndrome X, Reaven's syndrome, and in Australia - CHAOS.

What are the criteria for the diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome?

Many definitions of the metabolic syndrome have been proposed over the last twenty years, but the most widely used definition is NCEP ATP III. It is also the most common definition in clinical sections, because all criteria are readily available to physicians.

To diagnose a person with metabolic syndrome, at least 3 of the 5 following criteria must be met:

Abdominal obesity: waist circumference ≥102 cm in men and ≥88 cm in women
Hypertriglyceridemia: ≥ 150 mg / dl (1.695 mmol / L)
Low HDL-C: <40 mg / dL (1.04 mmol / dL) in men and <50 mg / dL (1.30 mmol / dL) in women
High blood pressure :> 130/85 mm
High fasting glucose:> 110 mg / dl (6.1 mmol / L)

Pro-inflammatory and prothrombotic conditions are also considered to contribute to the formation of metabolic syndrome, but are not included in the diagnostic criteria.

What are the symptoms of the metabolic syndrome?

You can recognize some of the following symptoms of the metabolic syndrome:

Fatigue - especially after meals,
Inability to focus properly, problems with concentration ("brain fog")
Browning (discoloration) of the skin folds, around the neck, underarms, groins

Most patients with metabolic syndrome will have two main symptoms:

Abdominal obesity
Insulin resistance

Diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome is quite difficult, so if you notice the occurrence of the above-mentioned symptoms, it is worth going to the doctor for advice. Unfortunately, the treatment is long-lasting and incorrectly carried out may not bring the desired effects for a long time, so it is important to diagnose any diseases or health problems with specialists, not Google search engine.

Tags: CHAOS, metabolic, Reaven's, syndrome, syndrome X

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