Pathophysiology and Therapeutics of Cardiovascular Disease in Metabolic Syndrome

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors, including central obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension, which are highly associated with increased morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The association between these metabolic disorders and the development of CVD is believed to be multifactorial, where insulin resistance, oxidative stress, low-grade inflammation and vascular maladaptation act as the major contributors. Therefore, multipronged therapeutic strategies should be taken for the management of patients with MetS. Lifestyle changes including weight control, healthy heart diet and regular exercises have been proposed as first line treatment to decrease CVD risks in MetS individuals. In addition, improving insulin resistance and glucose metabolism, controlling blood pressure as well as modulating dyslipidemia can also delay or reverse the progression of CVD in MetS. This review will first address the complicated interactions between MetS and CVD, followed by discussion about the optimal strategy in the prevention and treatment of CVD in MetS patients and the updated results from newly released clinical trials.