title: The metabolic syndrome: an artificial and irrelevant notion.
abstract: (1) The term 'metabolic syndrome' was first coined in the 1970s, although initial reports of associated lipid and carbohydrate metabolic disorders in the same patient date from the 1930s. (2) The metabolic syndrome refers to a variety of vaguely related disorders, often including obesity, blood lipid disorders, type 2 diabetes, and varying degrees of hypertension. Various definitions and diagnostic criteria have been proposed. Smoking is not included. (3) A 'diagnosis' of 'metabolic syndrome' has no clinical or therapeutic relevance. (4) It is better to treat each condition, if it is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, provided a treatment with a positive risk-benefit balance (including a proven impact on morbidity/mortality endpoints) is available.
mesh_terms: D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000266:history; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*