The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a aggregation of conditions that occur together and rise the risk factors in one person.

The prominent risk factors for this syndrome are abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, abnormal cholesterol levels and elevated blood pressure. People with the metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

As prediabetic cluster of symptoms, the metabolic syndrome is a more prevalent risk factor for stroke than is type 2 diabetes mellitus. Having just one of the above four conditions contributes to your risk of serious heart disease. According to a new study, the relative risks (RR) associated with each condition were roughly identical RR = 2.10, while a combination of two or more ailments increased the risks significantly RR = 3.28.

In the general population the metabolic syndrome is about three times as prevalent than type 2 diabetes. Since, especially in women, metabolic syndrome accounted for more strokes than diabetes alone, this study concluded that this syndrome is a risk factor for stroke in nondiabetics.

Secondly, the study concluded there is a huge potential for to lower stroke risk in the mass population by targeting the each condition of the metabolic syndrome. By consequence, large waist girth, hypertension, elevated blood glucose, low HDL cholesterol levels and high triglycerides are the stroke's main early detectable symptoms, which are preventable and treatable.