WHAT IS METABOLIC SYNDROME?

Metabolic syndrome, also referred to as Insulin Resistance Syndrome, is a cluster of conditions that occur simultaneously.  This combination of conditions increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include elevated blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.

Metabolic syndrome in itself is not a condition, and having a single conditions doesn’t necessarily mean you have the syndrome. However, these are risk factors that can lead to serious cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.

Therefore, if you have any risk factor that could be suggestive of metabolic syndrome, then you should seek medical treatment from an internal medicine doctor in Dubai right away. A specialist general medicine doctor can help you make the necessary lifestyle changes to prevent the related illnesses.

Symptoms

Generally speaking, an internal medicine doctor in Dubai will diagnose a patient with metabolic syndrome if they have at least 3 of the following symptoms:

• A large waist circumference of more than 40 inches in men and more than 35 inches in women
• High fasting blood glucose levels (approximately 100 mg/dL or more)
• Elevated blood pressure
• Increased blood triglycerides levels
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels

Another sign of metabolic syndrome may be an increased blood sugar and related symptoms including frequent need to urinate, fatigue, thirst, and blurred vision.

If you experience any of the above symptoms and conditions, or if you notice an increase in fat around the waist area, then you should consult your general medicine doctor in Dubai immediately.

Causes

Obesity and inactivity are considered to be leading causes of metabolic syndrome. However, other risk factors can also cause this syndrome, including age, family history, and ethnicity.

Insulin resistance is another major cause of metabolic syndrome, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Insulin resistance can also be a sign of different type of disease such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and chronic kidney disease.

Furthermore, poor lifestyle can lead to obesity, elevated cholesterol, and high blood sugar. Some of these factors are:

• Unhealthy diet
• Lack of exercise
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Improper sleep cycles

If any of these risk factors apply to you, then you should immediate visit an internal medicine specialist for a checkup and consultation.

Treatment

If an internal medicine doctor diagnoses you with metabolic syndrome, then you will be given a treatment plan. In most cases this consists of making drastic lifestyle changes to improve health and prevent diseases. Such lifestyle changes include:

• Daily exercise of at least 30 minutes
• Healthy diet, usually DASH diet plan
• Stress management
• Quit smoking
• Weight loss

Your general medicine doctor may help you develop an exercise and diet plan, and recommend healthy methods of weight loss and stress management. This will reduce the conditions involved in the syndrome, such as high blood pressure, blood sugar, and obesity.

In some cases, a specialist internal medicine doctor may prescribe medication for insulin resistance, such as Metformin. Other medication may be prescribed to manage blood pressure or LDL cholesterol. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions when taking any type of medication.

Therefore, it is important to visit a specialist internal medicine doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms or risk factors related to metabolic syndrome. Your general practitioner will help develop a treatment plan to reduce symptoms and prevent serious disease.

For the best internal medicine specialist in UAE, visit the German Heart Centre. Our specialist internal medicine doctors are highly skilled and possess extensive experience in treating patients. Book an appointment with one of our specialist internal medicine doctors in Dubai for treatment of metabolic syndrome. Contact us now.