Metabolic Syndrome Affects Sexes Differently

New research suggests that the so-called metabolic syndrome affects theheart differently in men and women. The components of thedisorder—including insulin resistance, a large waist size, hypertension,and dyslipidemia—are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Ongoingdisease can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy, a major warning flag ofmorbidity and mortality.

But little is known about how metabolic syndrome may affect men and womendifferently. A group of researchers attempts to fill in this knowledge gapwith a report in a recent issue of Hypertension that documentsdifferences attributed to metabolic syndrome in left ventricular structure andfunction.

Researchers performed echocardiography on 618 adults with untreatedhypertension but no diabetes. Results of testing suggest that metabolicsyndrome affects the hearts of men and women differently. Women with metabolicsyndrome had 24% greater left ventricular mass than those without thedisorder, compared with a 9% difference in men. A greater proportion of thewomen with metabolic syndrome had left ventricular hypertrophy than did themen. Women with metabolic syndrome also had greater left ventricular wallthickening than those without the disorder.

The research shows that metabolic syndrome has a different effect on leftventricular hypertrophy and function in men and women with untreatedhypertension.

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