Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality of the metabolic syndrome

Cardiovascular disease remains the single leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. The metabolic syndrome has received increased attention in recent years, partly because of the growing prevalence of obesity and its association with cardiovascular disease. This article reviews current evidence from longitudinal observational studies that evaluated the impact of metabolic syndrome on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in various population subsets. The approach to cardiovascular risk assessment in individuals who have multiple risk factors and the clinical implications of diagnosing the metabolic syndrome are also discussed.