Management of dyslipidemia in the metabolic syndrome

The metabolic syndrome consists of a clustering of metabolic derangements that cause the affected individual to have an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidemia is an important component of the metabolic syndrome and is included in all the definitions of the metabolic syndrome published by different international committees to identify individuals with the metabolic syndrome. Atherogenic dyslipidemia in the metabolic syndrome comprises of hypertriglyceridemia, low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a preponderance of small dense low-density lipoprotein particles. The pathogenesis of dyslipidemia in the metabolic syndrome will be reviewed and the roles of therapeutic lifestyle modification and drug therapies in the treatment of dyslipidemia will be discussed.