Metabolic syndrome describes a set of symptoms that increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Those risk factors are:
- high blood pressure
- obesity, particularly extra weight around the waist
- insulin resistance
- low good cholesterol
- higher levels of triglycerides
Patients are diagnosed with metabolic syndrome when they have 3 or more of these symptoms.
There have been a number of interesting discoveries about metabolic syndrome in the news lately. Scientists have found a link between metabolic syndrome and kidney disease which could lead to early interventions to prevent the syndrome as well as diabetes and kidney disease. – Metabolic Syndrome May Cause Kidney Disease
Researchers from the Gladstone Institutes have discovered how a gene called SIRT3 increases the risk of metabolic syndrome. – Gene That Exacerbates Risk Factors for Heart Disease and Diabetes Identified
Metabolic syndrome is also associated with increased incidence of kidney stones. An article from Internal Medicine News provides some insight into statistics and a possible cause for kidney stones in obese individuals. – Kidney Stones Linked to CVD, Metabolic Syndrome