Metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome
Other names	Dysmetabolic syndrome X
A man with marked central obesity, a hallmark of metabolic syndrome. His weight is 182 kg (400 lbs), height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in), and body mass index (BMI) 53 (normal 18.5 to 25).
Specialty	Endocrinology
Symptoms	Obesity
Differential diagnosis	Insulin resistance, prediabetes, hyperuricemia, obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, erectile dysfunction, acanthosis nigricans

Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of at least three of the following five medical conditions: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high serum triglycerides, and low serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

Metabolic syndrome is associated with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.^[1] In the U.S., about 25% of the adult population has metabolic syndrome, a proportion increasing with age, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities.^[2][3]

Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and prediabetes are closely related to one another and have overlapping aspects. The syndrome is thought to be caused by an underlying disorder of energy utilization and storage, but the cause of the syndrome is an area of ongoing medical research. Researchers debate whether a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome implies differential treatment or increases risk of cardiovascular disease beyond what is suggested by the sum of its individual components.^[4]