Prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome and Its Relation to All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Nondiabetic European Men and Women

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Abstract
The concept of metabolic syndrome, also known as insulin resistance syndrome, was introduced by Reaven1 in 1988. The syndrome is characterized by hyperinsulinemia with underlying insulin resistance, and a cluster of other cardiovascular risk factors including impaired glucose regulation, elevated levels of triglycerides, decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), raised blood pressure (BP), and centrally distributed obesity. The pathogenesis of the syndrome is complex and so far incompletely understood; but the interaction of obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and dietary and genetic factors are known to contribute to its development.1-3 The most important dimension of the metabolic syndrome is its association with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD).