Treatment and Prevention
The goal of treating metabolic syndrome is to prevent the development of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Your doctor will first suggest lifestyle modifications such as exercising for 30 minutes most days of the week. One study showed that individuals who are physically active (30 minutes of activity at least once per week) have half the risk of developing metabolic syndrome than those who are inactive. Your doctor may also suggest eating a healthy diet to promote weight loss and normal blood cholesterol and fat levels.
If lifestyle modification alone does not improve your health risks, your doctor may prescribe one or more of the following medications:
- weight loss medications (e.g., orlistat*)
- insulin sensitizers (e.g., metformin, rosiglitazone) to help lower blood glucose and insulin levels
- aspirin to reduce risk of heart disease
- blood-pressure-lowering medications
- medications to decrease "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and increase "good" cholesterol (HDL)
Leading a healthy lifestyle now can reduce your risk of developing the health risks associated with metabolic syndrome as you get older. Effective prevention includes eating a healthy diet by following by following the MyPyramid food guide and exercising for 30 minutes most days of the week. Seeing your doctor for routine checkups and checking your blood glucose levels, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and weight will help you monitor your health.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For information on a given medication, check our Drug Information database. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, FACC Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at New York Medical College, and in private practice specializing in cardiovascular disease in Greenwich, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.