The metabolic syndrome is an important concept in therapeutic decision-making

Traditional risk factors can underestimate the true risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Abdominal obesity is associated with a cluster of risk factors that include dyslipidemia, dysglycemia, and hypertension, termed metabolic syndrome (MS). The presence of MS increases cardiovascular risk 50%-100% beyond that defined according to traditional risk factors, and increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Recognition of patients with MS is important to: (1) identify patients at increased risk beyond that conveyed by traditional risk factors; and (2) understand that the metabolic abnormalities associated with MS are largely reversed by measures that reduce abdominal obesity.