The metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease

This paper discusses the prevalence and clinical significance of the metabolic syndrome and considers the importance of lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities in the metabolic syndrome in conferring cardiovascular and metabolic risk. The metabolic syndrome is a multiplex risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Cardinal components of the metabolic syndrome include obesity (particularly abdominal obesity), dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance with or without glucose intolerance. The metabolic syndrome affects approximately 47 million adults and 2 million adolescents in the United States, and its prevalence is increasing. Early detection and management of the components of the metabolic syndrome are critical for preventing or delaying the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and other metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Changes in the quality and quantity of specific blood lipids and lipoproteins constitute one of the earliest manifestations of the metabolic syndrome. These early changes in lipoproteins are important because they can contribute to the development of cardiovascular and metabolic disease and constitute a marker for the metabolic syndrome, thus affected individuals can be identified for early intervention.