What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is not any condition, it's a combination of risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol and belly fat. Metabolic syndrome, in particular, can result in plaque formation in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Lipids,smooth muscle cells,macophage foam cells,and other chemicals adhere to the artery walls, and the arteries become blocked and brittle resulting in a heart attack or a stroke. The best part is that metabolic syndrome is generally manageable with lifestyle changes and Diet.
Symptoms and Signs of Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome patients may have the following symptoms and Signs
- Both the body mass index (BMI) and the waist circumference are high.
- High triglyceride levels, low HDL cholesterol levels, or fasting blood sugar levels that are high.high blood pressure.
- Acanthosis nigricans insulin resistance is indicated by the darkening of the skin in folds and creases such as the neck and armpits.
Other medical issues related to metabolic syndrome and obesity include:
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Fatty liver
- Obstructive sleep apnea
When to see a doctor?
If you have any metabolic syndrome signs or are at risk of developing it, you should talk to the doctor. Similarly, seek medical advice if you have a strong family history of heart disease, stroke, early cardiac death, obesity, or diabetes.
Causes and Risks
Metabolic syndrome is due to both genetics and environmental factors. The syndrome is associated with obesity, sedentary lifestyle and has also been linked to insulin resistance.
A family history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and early cardiovascular disease increases the possibility of metabolic syndrome.
physically inactive, old age, a diet that contains more fat and sugar, stress can also contribute to metabolic syndrome.
Risk factors
The risk factors for metabolic syndrome are:
- A body mass index (BMI) of more than 25
- Older age
- Having a type 2 diabetic family member
- Diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
- History of heavy drinking
- Smoking
- Menopause
- Inactive lifestyle
- High-fat diet
- Stress
Complications
The complications that can arise from metabolic syndrome are often severe and long-term (chronic). They are as follows:
- Diabetes
- Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
- Kidney disease
- Heart attack
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Stroke
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Peripheral artery disease
If one develops diabetes, there is a risk of other health problems also, including:
- Eye damage (retinopathy)
- Amputation of limbs
- Nerve damage (neuropathy)
- Kidney disease
Prevention
- People at risk of getting metabolic syndrome should adopt the recommended lifestyle modifications to lower their chances of having the illness. Among these preventative measures are:
- Excess weight loss and maintaining a healthy body weight can help lower blood pressure, insulin resistance, and the risk of developing diabetes.
- Following a low-calorie, healthy diet low in trans fats, saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and fish should all be included in the diet.
- Doctors advise at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day.
- Quitting smoking lowers the risk of worsening the adverse effects of metabolic syndrome.
- People should drink in moderation since alcoholism can raise the risk of metabolic syndrome by up to 60%.
- People with metabolic syndrome risk factors should take their medications as prescribed for conditions such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Diagnosis
The metabolic syndrome diagnosis is simple and based on specific criteria. A routine medical check-up includes screening for metabolic syndrome components including blood test and physical examination along with the medical history of the patient.
If you are regular at preventive health visits, the tests will most likely reveal early indicators of the syndrome. If you have three or more of the following indications, you have metabolic syndrome.
- A waistline of at least 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women
- If you have a blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg or above
- A triglyceride level of more than 150 mg/dl
- A fasting blood glucose level of more than 100 mg/dl
Treatment
Treatment options are:
- Regular Exercise :Exercise for at least 30 minutes daily, such as jogging, brisk walking, or running. Aside from exercising, keep yourself as active as possible by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking to the market instead of driving
- Loss of weight :If you have insulin resistance, reducing up to 10% of your body weight can lower your risk of diabetes and hypertension. If you've tried everything and still can't lose weight, consider weight loss medicines or surgery.
- Eat Healthily :Include more vegetables, fruits, protein, and high-fibre foods in your diet while avoiding sugary drinks, alcohol, salt, and foods high in trans or saturated fat.
- Quit Smoking :Quitting smoking lowers your chance of developing cardiovascular disease.
- Medication :If lifestyle modifications aren't enough, the doctor may prescribe antihypertensives, statins, and diabetes medications to lower the blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels.
Lifestyle Changes and Self Care
Adapting to healthy lifestyle changes if you've been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome can avoid or delay significant health problems. A healthy way of life includes:
- Regular physical activity: Health experts recommend taking at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, such as brisk walking. However, one is not required to do that task all at once. Look for opportunities to increase the activity level whenever possible, such as walking rather than driving and using the stairs rather than an elevator.
- Weight loss: Losing body weight can lower insulin resistance, blood pressure, and your risk of diabetes. Any weight loss is beneficial, and it's essential to keep the weight loss progressing. If you're having trouble losing weight and maintaining that off, consult a doctor about the options, including medications or weight-loss surgery.
- Healthy diet: Healthy eating plans, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the Mediterranean diet, emphasise vegetables, fruits, whole grains with high fibre, and lean protein. Sugar-sweetened drinks, alcohol, salt, sugar, and fat, especially saturated and trans fat, are all suggested in healthy eating programmes.
- Stopping smoking: Giving up smoking improves your overall health significantly. If you need assistance quitting, consult your doctor.
- Stress reduction or management: Physical activity, meditation, yoga, and other activities can help people deal with stress and improve their overall mental and physical health.
Dos and Don’ts
Metabolic syndrome, often known as syndrome X, is a group of conditions that increases risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. However, by adopting a balanced diet and doing physical activity on most days, a person can slow the progression of metabolic syndrome and even reverse it.
The foods we consume and our daily activities are directly responsible for insulin resistance and high triglycerides. Here are some dos and don'ts that might assist in overcoming the negative effects of the syndrome.
| Do’s | Don’ts |
| Monitor the sudden weight gain and other changes in the body. | Be obese |
| Eat healthy omega-3 fatty foods. | Be physically inactive |
| Exercise and maintain a healthy body weight, | Drink excess alcohol and smoke. |
| Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. | Eat processed foods and meats. |
| Maintain a healthy blood sugar and cholesterol level. | Ignore the instructions given by the doctor. |
Precautions and self-care will help you fight the condition positively and improve your quality of life.
Metabolic Syndrome Care at Medicover Hospitals
At Medicover, we have the best team of Endocrinologists ,Cardiologists and physicians who work together to provide metabolic syndrome disease treatment with utmost precision. Our highly skilled healthcare team utilises the latest medical equipment, diagnostic procedures and technologies to treat various metabolic conditions and ailments. For treating metabolic syndrome, we adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to provide comprehensive care to the patients and attend to all their medical needs for faster and sustained recovery.
