1. Is metabolic syndrome similar to hypercholesterolemia? The metabolic syndrome is a group of heart disease risk factors, other than high LDL cholesterol levels, that are defined to alert health workers. Patients with low HDL cholesterol (good) levels and high triglyceride levels were still at risk for heart disease and myocardial infarction. This subgroup of patients, with or without hypertension, with or without hyperglycemia (a sign of insulin resistance or diabetes). Needless to say, with so many risk factors tracked in such a large number of patients, the degree of variability will be substantial. Therefore, it is more difficult to accurately define the metabolic syndrome, both in terms of defining an exact HDL cholesterol, triglyceride blood pressure, and glucose level for the metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome Consists of 3 or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Abdominal obesity with increased waist circumference > 35 inches for women and > 40 inches for men; triglyceride levels ≥ 150 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol levels ≤ 50 mg/dL for women and ≤ 40 mg/dL for men; blood pressure ≥ 135/85 mmHg; fasting blood glucose levels ≥ 100 mg/dL; or taking medications for the above conditions. Reducing body weight can modify these risk factors. 2. What is the definition of metabolic syndrome? Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when a patient has 3 or more of the following 5 risk factors for heart disease, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and the American Heart Association. (Note that the definition of “abnormal” is different for men and women with 2 risk factors.) Increased waist circumference (greater than 35 inches in women and greater than 40 inches in men); increased blood pressure (135/85 mmHg or higher, or taking antihypertensive medication); increased fasting blood glucose levels (100 mg/dL or higher); elevated triglyceride levels (150 mg/dL or higher); low HDL cholesterol levels (less than 50 mg/dL in women and less than 40 mg/dL in men). /dL). 3. What is the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the United States? Different experts still have different opinions on how to define metabolic syndrome, but it is common. In the United States, 34% of people have metabolic syndrome (1 in 3), more men (35%) than women (33%), and it increases with age (more than 50% of people aged 60 and older have metabolic syndrome). More alarmingly, metabolic syndrome is also increasing in the pediatric and adolescent populations. According to a 2004 report, 4% of children and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years have metabolic syndrome. Among overweight children and adolescents in this age group, the rate of metabolic syndrome increases to 29%.