[Metabolic syndrome in patients with hypertension]

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of interrelated abnormalities that increase the risk for the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Together with obesity and dyslipidaemia, hypertension is one of the basic elements of the metabolic syndrome. Current guidelines do not provide specific recommendation for pharmacological management of the hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome. Recent trials have consistently shown that therapy involving beta-blockers and diuretics may have some negative impact on metabolic and haemodynamic disorders present in metabolic syndrome. Several lines of evidence support the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blockers as the appropriate first-line therapy and calcium channel blockers, as the second, in the patients with metabolic syndrome.