Metabolic syndrome is a disorder in the metabolism that manifests itself through different conditions that considerably increase the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. These disorders, which mark the criteria for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome, are high glucose levels, high blood pressure, low blood levels of HDL, that is, good cholesterol, blood levels of triglycerides much more elevated than usual, and that there is excess fat around the waist.
This metabolic syndrome also receives names such as syndrome X, plus metabolic, insulin resistance, or Reaven; however, not all physicians agree on the definition of this condition. If we look for its origin, we can establish that the leading cause of this condition is insulin resistance, a hormone produced by the body itself. If you don’t know much about this disorder, in the following FastlyHealarticle, you can find out about metabolic syndrome: symptoms and treatment.
Table of Contents
Metabolic syndrome: symptoms
Although specific symptoms cannot be attributed directly to the metabolic syndrome, there is symptomatology derived from the different disorders that define syndrome X. The most common manifestation of this alteration is obesity, mainly in the abdomen. Patients with Reaven syndrome have a waist circumference of around 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women, although these figures can vary from person to person. This excess fat has different consequences, such as:
- A decrease in physical capacity due to lack of exercise
- Joint pain and deterioration
- Difficulty generally breathing at night
- Complications in the heart, among others
There may also be an alteration in glucose levels, especially fasting, and a high risk of diabetes. Among the most frequent symptoms of the same is a considerable increase in appetite, increased thirst, and a large volume of diuresis, that is, urine secretion.
Arterial hypertension and hypercholesterolemia accompanied by the metabolic syndrome can cause different complications such as a higher incidence of stroke, that is, cerebrovascular diseases, the presence of arteriosclerosis, and they cause symptoms of these disorders to appear.
Obesity and the high level of triglycerides that causes insulin resistance syndrome are risk factors that can cause pancreatitis, which has symptoms of abdominal pain and a very high life risk due to the many complications it causes.
Causes of metabolic syndrome
So far, the exact cause that causes the plurimetabolic syndrome is unknown, but several specialists associate it with insulin resistance and, above all, it is closely related to obesity. The accumulation of fat that occurs in the abdomen is a significant factor in the development of metabolic syndrome since fat can be found in some viscera, muscles, and the liver itself.
So, the two most important risk factors for syndrome X are excess kilos, mainly in the middle and upper part of the body, and resistance to insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas that is responsible for controlling existing sugar in the blood; however, other risk factors may influence such as
- The aging
- Lack of physical exercise
- Genetic inheritance, since the genes of each person that may be more prone to this alteration
- hormonal changes due to stress or other factors.
Patients with metabolic syndrome can suffer one or more alterations linked to this pathology. These include an increased risk of blood clotting, increased levels of substances in the blood, and the existence of small amounts of a protein known as albumin in the urine.
Metabolic syndrome: treatment
As the metabolic syndrome is composed of different alterations, the treatment must be multifactorial and act on all the possible risks associated with the disorder. For example, the essential point is to considerably reduce the risk of suffering from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
For this reason, it is essential that if you have any of the symptoms or risk factors, you consult a doctor so that they can offer you the appropriate treatment. The specialist may advise a lifestyle change; among them, it is possible to highlight quitting tobacco, and alcohol, losing between 7% and 10% of your current weight, doing 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, having a diet healthy, and lower cholesterol by eliminating salt and taking medications if the specialist prescribes them.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Metabolic syndrome: symptoms and treatment, we recommend that you enter our Endocrine System category.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.