Metabolic Syndrome

The metabolic syndrome is a typical disease of civilization and consists of the following diseases (also called fatal quartet): obesity, diabetes, fat metabolism disorders and high blood pressure. The fat distribution pattern is important for the cardiovascular risk: an increased waist circumference plays an important role. Fat deposits in the abdominal cavity and on the internal organs are considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The intraabdominal fat influences the fat and carbohydrate metabolism with the possible consequence of fat metabolism disorders and diabetes. The most important disorders in metabolic syndrome affect the muscle cells: Lower absorption of glucose from the blood. Result: rise in blood sugar. Fat cells: Lower absorption of blood sugar. Follow: Blood sugar increase and additionally increased release of fatty acids due to disturbance of the fat metabolism. Liver cells: Lower absorption of blood sugar. Follow: Increase in blood sugar due to several causes: in addition to lower glucose uptake by the liver, increased glucose production (gluconeogenesis) and conversion of glycogen into glucose (glycogenolysis). Furthermore also in the liver disorder of fat metabolism with increase of blood lipids (triglycerides, LDL cholesterol).kidney: among other things lower excretion of common salt. Result: rise in blood pressure. Clotting system: Increasing tendency of the blood to clot. Result: blockage of the arteries. Endothelium (inner vessel walls): Increased blood sugar, blood pressure and elevated blood lipids lead to massive disorders of endothelial metabolism with chronic vascular wall inflammation. Result: increasing destruction of the vessels (arteries). If the blood vessels are destroyed and at the same time there is an increased tendency for the blood vessels to clog up, the occlusion occurs very quickly at some point. This suddenly leads to a part of an organ no longer being supplied with blood. The supply is cut off, and this part of the organ goes down. In the heart this leads to a heart attack, in the brain to a cerebral infarction (stroke) and in the extremities to diabetic gangrene.