- Unhealthy traits such as high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels can lead to the development of metabolic syndrome.
- Researchers say these traits can also increase a person’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
- They said higher blood pressure in particularly serious, especially for middle-aged women.
- Experts say you can lower your risk of metabolic syndrome with healthy diet and exercise routines, especially those that target belly fat.
Middle-aged adults who feel otherwise healthy but have mildly high blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose as well as higher waist circumference might experience a heart attack or stroke two years earlier than their healthier peers.
That’s according to a Swedish study presented today at the European Society of Cardiology’s Congress 2023. The research has not been published yet in a peer-reviewed journal.
The risk factors listed in the study, taken together, are known as metabolic syndrome and have been
The researchers studied a group of nearly 35,000 adults in their 40s and 50s. They reported that participants with metabolic syndrome had a 35% higher risk of heart attack and stroke than those without it.
In addition, adults with metabolic syndrome had non-fatal heart attacks or strokes 2.3 years earlier than those in the control group, the researchers noted.
“This study highlights the importance of routine checkups with a primary care provider to screen blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol issues, as well as discuss lifestyle habits to reduce cardiovascular disease risk,” said Dr. Tonia Vinton, an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Texas and a specialist on metabolic syndrome who was not involved in the study.
“If we forgo routine follow-ups because we feel well, we may miss years of warning signs, such as elevated blood pressure or cholesterol, before a major…
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