Metabolic syndrome and possible treatments (consecutive therapies): a literature review

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is defined by a cluster of risk factors including insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Metabolic syndrome is also defined as having at least three metabolic risk factors— increased blood pressure, high blood sugar level, excess body fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels— and greatly increases the chance of future cardiovascular problems. The last 50 years have seen a dramatic increase in metabolic disorders, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, with the number of individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes worldwide expected to surpass 360 million by 2030. Early diagnosis is important in order to employ effectively lifestyle and risk factor modification. Pharmaceutical therapy in MS is aimed at treating the individual components of MS such as antihypertensives, statins, and metformin. Some natural compounds, Yoga and dietary elements. Therefore in this article various therapies (possible treatments) were reviewed. The world is in emergent need for searching of treatments for metabolic syndrome. The MS is a constellation of common metabolic disorders that is associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance and dyslipidemia play central roles in the pathophysiology of this syndrome. In this modern world, metabolic syndrome is reaching epidemic proportions. With only a handful of people following the healthy diet and lifestyle, majority still fall in the bracket of those with compromised diet and lifestyle, burdening the health services. Socio economic changes and eventually globalization has led to transformation in the society. This has led to alterations in the dietary habits eventually resulting in nutrition transition. Pharmacological treatment is only based on only diagnosis and symptoms. Recently approved anti-obesity drugs can be prescribed to reduce body weight, particularly abdominal visceral fat. A first line intervention targeting MS involves dietary and lifestyle modification with regular physical activity over a period of time. However, improvement in MS parameters can only be maintained when these modifications can be sustained. Therefore, dietary and lifestyle modification in continuum is required to overcome MS holistically. The main and foremost treatment for metabolic syndrome is to eliminate the causative risk factors of it.