The prevalence and the clinical characteristics of metabolic syndrome patients admitted to the cardiac care unit.

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of multiple cardiovascular risk factors, including dysglycemia, central obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common complications of MetS. Recent studies showed that prevalence of MetS among patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome was as high as 46%.

DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 203 patients at the two main hospitals in Ta'if, Saudi Arabia. Patients older than 18 years who were admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) between the months of August 2013 and June 2014 were asked to participate. MetS diagnosis was made based on the International Diabetes Federation definition.

RESULTS: A total of 203 patients participated, with 59.1% male and 40.9% were female. The mean age was 60.9 years with a mean body mass index of 28.97 kg/m(2) and a mean waist circumference of 95.45 cm. The prevalence of MetS was 47.8%, primarily among obese female patients who reported sedentary lifestyles. Additionally, MetS patients were more likely to be admitted with heart failure (p < 0.05) and more likely to have moderate-to-severe left-ventricular hypertrophy (LVH; p < 0.05) relative to non-MetS patients.

CONCLUSION: Of the patients admitted to the CCU, 47.8% had MetS, with those patients likely to be female and obese. Furthermore, MetS patients were more likely to be admitted with heart failure and suffer from moderate-to-severe LVH.