Metabolic Syndrome - Treatment
Alteration in lifestyle should be the first line of treatment for metabolic syndrome and this involves increase in physical activity with a restricted diet.
Even after population studies eventually clarify ethnic variations in symptoms, researchers may not be able to agree on a common definition of Metabolic Syndrome until they understand the interactions among the conditions associated with the syndrome.
As for diabetes and indeed for heart disease, some of the causes of Metabolic Syndrome may be genetically inherited conditions. Even so, lifestyle plays a big role in deciding who will develop the syndrome and how dangerous it will be for the patient. People who—because of age or other circumstances—have been leading a sedentary life are especially at risk for developing the syndrome.
Lifestyle risk factors for Metabolic Syndrome are -
- Too little exercise
- Unhealthy eating habits
- Being overweight
Not surprisingly, these are all lifestyle risk factors for heart disease as well. In fact, the first line of treatment for Metabolic Syndrome is to reduce the major risk factors for heart disease by maintaining -
- An exercise program
- A healthy diet (a “Mediterranean” diet is recommended)
- A proper weight. And, of course, if you smoke,
- Stop smoking.
Those patients who have metabolic syndrome and who are smokers are likely to have a poor prognosis.
If you have been diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome, you can take steps to change your lifestyle. With your doctor’s guidance, you may be able to manage the problem yourself, and slow down or even stop the progression of symptoms.
There is as yet no other specific treatment for Metabolic Syndrome. When lifestyle changes alone cannot modify the symptoms quickly enough, each of the conditions that led to the patient’s diagnosis has to be treated separately with appropriate drug therapies.
- Hypertension is usually treated using Diuretics and ACE inhibitors
- Statins are cholesterol reducing drugs and may be used.
- Insulin resistance is treated with metformin.However, this treatment is not approved by the FDA in the USA.
A study carrid out in 2003 has revealed that cardiovascular exercise did therapeutic wonders in approximately 31% of individuals with Metabolic Syndrome. Several researches on this disease recommend the importance of elevated physical activity, supported by a cut in calorie intake, as part of managing this disorder.
