Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is an increasingly common disorder, with approximately one-third of U.S. adults having it. It isn’t a disease but a group of risk factors that raise your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and other health problems.
There are usually no immediate physical symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome, and medical problems associated with it develop over time. The first step in diagnosing metabolic syndrome is to run tests that include measuring your triglycerides and HDL, and blood glucose levels.
What causes it?
Although we’re still not sure what causes metabolic syndrome, we do know that it is closely linked to obesity and inactivity. Risk factors include:
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- Excess body fat around the middle
- Abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels
Having any one of these risk factors is bad news, but having two or more of them can set the stage for serious health problems.
In addition, metabolic syndrome tends runs in families and is more common among African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans. The risks of developing metabolic syndrome increase as you age.
What is the treatment?
The good news is that metabolic syndrome can be controlled, mostly through changes in your lifestyle like getting more exercise and eating a healthy diet.
Dr. Abousaif is highly experienced in treating people with metabolic syndrome. His goal is to guide his patients in reducing risk factors by making positive changes to their lifestyles, such as developing proper eating habits, increasing daily activity, and maintaining a healthy weight.
By adopting these lifestyle changes, you may be able to eliminate your risk factors completely. However, if lifestyle changes aren’t enough, you may also need medication.
Managing metabolic syndrome takes a lifelong commitment to living a healthy lifestyle and Dr. Abousaif is dedicated to helping his patients along their journeys.
