Metabolic syndrome: Don’t eat to your heart’s discontent

We generally love to eat to our heart’s content. We rarely give it a thought that sometimes we eat to our heart’s discontent. Even worse, sometimes we eat our way to the grave.

Metabolic syndrome is now a well-recognized problem associated with an increased cardiovascular mortality. And lifestyle, especially dietary indiscretion, may have a lot to do with it. In recent data from the National Health Survey, 14-20 percent of Filipinos above 20 years old have metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Ricardo Fernando, founding president of the Institute for the Study of Diabetes at the University of the East Medical Center, believes that the increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome may be related to the eating culture of "eat all you can, and drink all you can!"

Fernando adds that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome is primarily due to overeating. "We are living in a perverse and permissive society which lacks discipline," he says. "This kind of lifestyle propagates metabolic syndrome."

According to Fernando, the results are disastrous because once clinical obesity is developed, it predisposes to a lot of other risk factors and serious complications of metabolic syndrome which may be difficult to reverse.

Recent research has shown that there is a tendency for heart disease risk factors to occur together in certain people. The clustering of risk factors, which include high blood pressure, high triglycerides, decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which is the good cholesterol, diabetes or impaired sugar metabolism and obesity, seem to be genetically based and is a prevalent problem among Asians. People with metabolic syndrome are three times more at risk of developing coronary heart disease compared to those without it.

"It is an imminent cardiovascular threat in the Asian region," warns Dr. Rody Sy, current president of the Asia-Pacific Society of Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases.

Sy and Fernando lectured extensively on the subject during the recently concluded Joint Annual Convention of the Philippine Society of Hypertension and the Philippine Lipid Society.

A worldwide campaign was launched recently to increase awareness on metabolic syndrome and possibly halt the growing incidence of this silent but dreaded killer.

To document metabolic syndrome’s clinical signs, patient profile and prevalence, Fournier Pharma, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, supported the creation of the Metabolic Syndrome Project.

Part of this worldwide project is the creation of the Metabolic Syndrome Institute, a scientific committee made up of 12 specialists in the fields of lipidology, cardiology, diabetology, endocrinology and genetics. It is headed by Dr. Philip Barter, director of the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

The institute’s main task is to develop and disseminate knowledge about metabolic syndrome to health professionals.

MetS insights, a magazine for physicians devoted to metabolic syndrome, was also launched as part of the Metabolic Syndrome Project. It aims to spread information about the syndrome to family practitioners and specialists, enhancing their awareness of this epidemic and improving patient management.

MetS insights will regularly focus on subjects such as the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of metabolic syndrome. It will also provide information on current research, ongoing clinical studies and other relevant news about the disease.

The Metabolic Syndrome Project was launched in the Philippines by Laboratoires Fournier Philippines during the 9th annual joint convention of the Philippine Society of Hypertension (PSH) and Philippine Lipid Society (PLS). As a pilot activity, Laboratoires Fournier Philippines will support a study by PLS on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in young adults. Sy will head the study.

Other upcoming activities under the Metabolic Syndrome Project include the Metabolic Syndrome KOL Forum where experts will share their experiences in the management of metabolic syndrome, distribution of metabolic syndrome resource kits, a monthly update on clinical studies and journals pertaining to pathology and management of metabolic syndrome, congresses with internationally renowned speakers coming from the Metabolic Syndrome Institute, and programs focusing on patients with metabolic syndrome.