The Metabolic Syndrome: where are we and where do we go?

The Metabolic Syndrome, also known as Syndrome X, refers to a constellation of atherosclerotic risk factors, including insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, essential hypertension, and abdominal obesity. We review four major published studies involving animals and humans that may be linked together in a unified hypothesis and justify a comprehensive approach in the treatment of this ever-increasing syndrome.