title: Update on the metabolic syndrome: hypertension.
abstract: The presence of the metabolic syndrome identifies an individual at increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and early mortality. However, the increased risk may vary by the absence or presence of hypertension. Current guidelines for the management of high blood pressure in the metabolic syndrome emphasize lifestyle modification as a first-line strategy. Pharmacologic treatment of elevated blood pressure in the metabolic syndrome may be necessary in the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors or to achieve adequate blood pressure control. Currently, there is no consensus as to which antihypertensive therapy should be used to treat hypertension in patients with the metabolic syndrome; it remains unclear whether achieving tight blood pressure control should outweigh the potential for development of glucose intolerance. Future research must focus on this issue given the high prevalence of the syndrome among hypertensive patients and high rates of progression to diabetes among those with the metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, 100 South Los Robles, Second Floor, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA. Kristi.Reynolds@kp.org
authors.forename: Kristi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Rachel P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Wildman
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents