By Dr. Stuart Smalheiser
Beaufort Memorial Heart Specialists
While there are many threats to your heart health, metabolic syndrome is particularly concerning.
It is defined by the presence of at least three of the following five conditions:
- Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Hypertriglyceridemia (high triglycerides)
- Large waist circumference
- Low “good” (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol
The presence of three or more of these conditions serves as a significant red flag for your heart health.
1. High blood sugar and your heart
Blood glucose (sugar) comes from food and provides most of your body’s energy. While essential, too much of it can cause problems. The most obvious problem is Type 2 diabetes., but you don’t have to have diabetes to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. You may just have prediabetes, when your fasting blood sugar levels reach 100 to 125 mg/dL.
If it develops into Type 2 diabetes, you may feel extremely thirsty, urinate often or experience tingling or numbness in your hands or feet.
Less obvious symptoms may be going on inside your heart: high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels that carry blood throughout your body and can even affect the nerves that control your heart.
2. High blood pressure
High blood pressure has been termed a “silent killer” because most patients never have symptoms of elevated blood pressure. It’s important to identify high blood pressure to manage it properly, because over time, high blood pressure can damage arteries in the heart, brain and other organs. This weakens your arteries, making them more prone to blood clots or plaque buildup. Additionally, hypertension can cause the heart to enlarge and pump blood less efficiently to the body.
3. Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of fat in your body. Many of them come from extra calories that your body doesn’t immediately use. When you consume more calories than your body requires at the moment, those excess calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells. When your body needs extra energy, it releases these stored triglycerides for use.
A simple blood test can measure your triglyceride levels. Healthy levels are below 150 mg/dL. Anything higher may put you at risk for heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.
4. Large waist circumference
Obesity is a major cause of heart disease and occurs when you have excess body fat. Often, this excess gets stored in your abdomen. There, it surrounds the heart and other internal organs.
This is a problem, since a large waist circumference (abdominal obesity) puts you at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Your risk is based on your sex.
- Men — A waist circumference of more than 40 inches
- Women — A waist circumference that is greater than 35 inches
To determine your risk, measure your waist just above your hipbones. Take the measurement after breathing out.
5. Low HDL cholesterol
Contrary to popular belief, high levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol don’t always promote heart health. Some studies indicate that extremely elevated HDL levels can actually accelerate atherosclerosis, a condition in which arteries accumulate fatty deposits. This suggests that at these high levels, HDL may fail to perform its usual role of clearing fats from the arteries.
Adult men age 20 or older should have more than 40 mg/dL of HDL, and females age 20 or older should have more than 50 mg/dL. A blood test at your annual wellness check can measure how much is in your body.
Reduce your risk for metabolic syndrome
To protect yourself from conditions that put your heart at risk, take these steps:
- Eat healthily and reduce your intake of sodium, fat and sugar.
- Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week.
- Obtain and maintain a healthy weight.
- Quit smoking.
- Visit your primary care provider for annual checkups.
If you continue to experience metabolic syndrome with these steps, medication may help you manage your condition.
Preventing or reversing metabolic syndrome is often possible, but it takes time and effort. It takes a commitment to lifestyle changes that lasts day after day, year after year.
Stuart Smalheiser, M.D., is a board-certified interventional cardiologist with Beaufort Memorial Heart Specialists, specializing in advanced heart attack care, nuclear cardiology and cardiovascular disease.