What it is
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of linked risk factors that together sharply raise the chance of type 2 diabetes, heart attack and stroke. It's usually diagnosed when someone has at least three of these five:
- A large waist (fat stored around the belly)
- High blood pressure
- High fasting blood sugar
- High triglycerides
- Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol
At its centre is insulin resistance, where the body responds poorly to insulin. It's common in South Asian people and often develops years before diabetes appears.
Common symptoms
Metabolic syndrome usually causes no symptoms. Clues include:
- Weight gain around the waist
- Blood pressure, sugar or cholesterol slightly above normal on routine tests
- Darkened skin in the neck or armpits
- Fatty liver found on an ultrasound
- A history of PCOS or gestational diabetes
When to see a specialist
- Routine tests show two or more borderline results (blood pressure, sugar, triglycerides or HDL)
- You have a large waist and a family history of diabetes or early heart disease
- You have fatty liver, prediabetes or PCOS
- You want a structured plan to lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease
Treatment and management
Because the risk factors are connected, they're treated together:
- Lifestyle first: gradual weight loss, regular walking or exercise, better sleep, and less sugar and refined carbohydrate
- Medicines for blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol when targets aren't met
- Stopping smoking
- Regular reviews of weight, waist, blood pressure and blood tests
Improving one factor, such as weight, often improves several others at the same time.
How an endocrinologist helps
Dr. Marium Zaman looks at all the risk factors together rather than one at a time, checks for related conditions such as fatty liver and PCOS, and agrees clear, achievable targets with you that are reviewed at follow-up.
