The Metabolic Syndrome - Blood Pressure is Just One Part of It

The metabolic syndrome (referring to metabolism) is not a standalone disease. It refers to the occurrence of various diseases or risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Primarily, the metabolic syndrome, also known as prosperity syndrome, consists of:

Overweight (obesity) with fat deposits - especially in the abdominal area
elevated blood pressure values
elevated blood sugar levels (the sugar metabolism is disturbed by insulin insensitivity or insulin resistance)
disturbed fat metabolism

These four symptoms are collectively referred to as "the deadly quartet." The risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke doubles with the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome. The risk of developing diabetes is now five times higher than for individuals without the prosperity syndrome.

Currently, about 25 percent of the German population is affected - and the trend is rising. People over 60 years old are most commonly affected, but symptoms can also occur in children and adolescents.

The Four Main Symptoms

Overweight
Overweight is also referred to as obesity. In the context of the metabolic syndrome, the fat stored in the abdominal region and between the organs plays a significant role. Experts refer to this as visceral fat. This type of fat is very metabolically active and influences both fat and sugar metabolism. To quickly assess the risk, the waist circumference at the level of the waist is measured. The threshold is 88 cm for women and 102 cm for men.

Elevated Blood Pressure Values
Blood pressure values in the high-normal range or a previously treated hypertension are another characteristic of the metabolic syndrome. Since elevated blood pressure values alone pose a high risk for cardiovascular diseases, this risk is significantly exacerbated when combined with other risk factors.

Elevated Blood Sugar Levels
Decreased sensitivity to insulin or insulin resistance leads to elevated blood sugar levels. Here, a fatal connection between the individual symptoms of the metabolic syndrome is evident, as the metabolically active visceral fat (see overweight) directly influences insulin sensitivity: it decreases it. Therefore, elevated blood sugar levels (from 110 mg/dl fasting) or an existing diabetes mellitus are symptoms of the metabolic syndrome.

Disturbed Fat Metabolism
This is characterized by elevated triglyceride levels from 150 mg/dl (over 1.7 mmol/l) as well as reduced levels of (good) HDL cholesterol. For women, this value is below 50 mg/dl (below 1.25 mmol/l) and for men below 40 mg/dl (below 1.05 mmol/l). Here, too, there is a connection with abdominal fat. It has a more unfavorable influence on the fat metabolism than, for example, fat stored on the thighs.

In addition to these main characteristics, there are several other symptoms that can play a role in the complex "metabolic syndrome." These lesser-known factors include elevated uric acid levels, increased blood coagulation, and increased protein excretion in the urine.

Although the metabolic syndrome involves various co-occurring risk factors, the fundamental treatment for all symptoms is the same. The current lifestyle must be changed with the goal of reducing body weight or waist circumference. This is achieved through a change in dietary habits and increased physical activity. This change, in turn, has a positive impact not only on size and weight but also on blood pressure, blood fat levels, blood sugar levels, and insulin sensitivity.

Sources

By Sabine Croci. This article is medically reviewed. Last updated (04/2024).
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The Metabolic Syndrome - Blood Pressure is Just One Part of It

The Four Main Symptoms

Sources

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