How Metabolic Syndrome Increases Your Risk of Heart Disease
Key takeaways:
Metabolic syndrome is a group of medical conditions that put you at a higher risk for other health problems.
Metabolic syndrome can cause damage to important blood vessels and nerves that control the heart.
Diet, exercise, quitting smoking, and certain medications can decrease your risk of metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
People with metabolic syndrome are at a significantly increased risk of heart disease. The conditions that make up metabolic syndrome all cause extra strain on the heart and can lead to poor outcomes, like heart attack or stroke. This is a common problem — roughly one-third of U.S. adults have metabolic syndrome. The good news? There are ways you can manage metabolic syndrome and prevent heart disease. Read on for answers.
What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is a group of medical conditions that put you at a higher risk for some health problems, such as heart disease. Each of these medical conditions individually puts you at a higher risk for heart disease — but the combined risk is more than the sum of its parts.
You may have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of these conditions:
High blood sugar
High level of triglycerides
Low level of HDL cholesterol
A waist circumference greater than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men
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Are there symptoms of metabolic syndrome?
Many of the diseases that make up metabolic syndrome — like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high blood sugar — may not cause any symptoms at all. Often, they are only discovered during routine office visits. That’s why these conditions are often called “silent.”
What is the difference between prediabetes and metabolic syndrome?
Prediabetes is when you have a higher than normal blood sugar level, but it’s not high enough to be considered true diabetes. Prediabetes puts you at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Having prediabetes also puts you at higher risk for developing metabolic syndrome because high blood sugar is part of metabolic syndrome.
How is metabolic syndrome diagnosed?
You may be at risk for metabolic syndrome if you have obesity. Obesity puts you at a higher risk for multiple conditions associated with metabolic syndrome, such as:
High blood pressure
High blood sugar
High cholesterol
A large waist circumference
You may also be at a higher risk if you have a family history of metabolic syndrome or any of the associated conditions. Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed by a healthcare provider after evaluating your blood work, vital signs, and medical history.
How does metabolic syndrome increase your risk of heart disease?
Fat and high cholesterol cause plaque buildup in important blood vessels that supply blood to the heart and other organs. This can cause a blockage in the heart. A heart attack can occur when the blockage becomes severe.
Similarly, high blood pressure can cause wear and tear on important blood vessels. This can also lead to heart blockages. High blood pressure can even change the shape of your heart, which prevents it from “pumping” normally.
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Metabolic syndrome increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, which in turn can damage blood vessels and nerves that control the heart.
Alone, any of these conditions can increase your risk for heart disease. But, if you have metabolic syndrome, your risk of heart disease skyrockets.
How to prevent heart disease when you have metabolic syndrome
Thinking about the effect of metabolic syndrome on the heart may be intimidating, but don’t panic — there are ways you can reduce your risk and prevent heart disease. Most forms of treatment and prevention are geared toward controlling the underlying conditions.
Diet and exercise
A heart healthy diet, limiting sugar intake, and focusing on portion control can help greatly when it comes to managing metabolic syndrome. Getting 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week will strengthen the heart and control blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
Medication
Medications that treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Depending on your degree of risk, some healthcare providers will treat high blood sugar levels if you have them, even if you do not have diabetes.
Other lifestyle changes
Quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol use can help decrease your risk of heart disease and help manage metabolic syndrome. Smoking plays a large role in heart disease and high blood pressure. In fact, smokers are two to four times more likely to have heart disease, and to die from it, than are non-smokers.
The bottom line
You may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome when you have three or more of the medical conditions that make it up, including:
High blood sugar
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Large waist circumference
Each of these conditions increases your risk for heart disease individually. When you have these conditions together in metabolic syndrome, the risk is even higher. Fortunately, you can manage metabolic syndrome and reduce your risk of heart disease by:
Controlling these underlying conditions
Eating a healthy diet
Exercising
Taking medications
Why trust our experts?
References
American Heart Association. (2023). What is metabolic syndrome?
Benjamin, E., et al. (2019). Heart disease and stroke statistics—2019 update. Circulation.
Swarup, S., et al. (2022). Metabolic syndrome. StatPearls.
