Metabolic Syndrome: Can We Keep Check?

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is on the rise due to the epidemic increase of obesity. It increases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: To study the prevalence of MetS and its components in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional comparative study.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Five hundred premenopausal women and 500 postmenopausal women in the age group 40-65 years, attending OPD of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Pt. J.N.M. Medical College, Raipur from September 2012 to August 2014 were analyzed and assessed for the MetS risk factors and evaluated according to the NCEP ATP III criteria.

RESULTS: The prevalence of MetS in postmenopausal women was 48.6 %, nearly 1.7 times the prevalence in premenopausal women (27.4 %). Except for central obesity and low HDL cholesterol, the frequency of hyperglycemia, high blood pressure, and hypertriglyceridemia were significantly higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women. All the five factors of NCEP ATP III criteria were present in 5 % of postmenopausal women in contrast to 0.4 % in premenopausal women.

CONCLUSION: Prevention is better than cure. The need of the hour is to target premenopausal women who are at risk of developing MetS in their postmenopausal age. It will delay and prevent them from future morbidities.