Metabolic syndrome - What it is

The metabolic syndrome is not to be considered as an actual disease but, rather, mostly a set of risk factors which increase the chances of metabolic, epatic and cardiovascular diseases occurence. In order to make a diagnosis, at least three of the following factors must be simultaneously present:

• Arterial pressure ≥ 130/85 mmHg
• Blood triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/ml
• Fasting blood glucose ≥ a 110 mg/dl
• HDL cholesterol inferior to 40 mg/dl in men or to 50 mg/dl in women
• Abdominal circumference superior to 102 cm for men and 88 cm for women.

The higher the number of affecting conditions, the more serious the syndrome. Moreover it's important to remember that:

• The risk increases by ageing
• If diabetes is already present, the subject is more prone
• Genetic predisposition and a sedentary lifestyle can negatively affect one's condition.

Therefore, we can state that the metabolic syndrome is a combination of the impairments of glucose metabolism's (hyperglycemia), blood lipid parameters (hypertriglyceridaemia and low levels of HDL cholesterol, also known as good cholesterol) and vascular alterations (arterial hypertension) in the presence of an excessive storage of visceral fat.