[Prevalence and general features of the metabolic syndrome in the Spanish hypertensive population].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Metabolic syndrome (MS) constitutes a risk factor for the development of both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and clinical characteristics of metabolic syndrome in a sample of the hypertensive population.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

Cross-sectional epidemiological study in 19,039 hypertensive patients attended in primary care centres. MS was defined using the National Education Cholesterol Program (NCEP) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria.

RESULT

The 44.6% of patients presented MS using NCEP criteria. This proportion rose to 61.7% when IDF criteria were applied. Compared with hypertensives without MS, those who fulfilled criteria were significantly (p < 0.0001) older, more frequently women, had higher blood pressure values, a poorer blood pressure control (14.4% vs 27.8%) despite the use of more antihypertensive drugs, and suffered more frequently of cardiovascular disease. Other significant abnormalities included higher serum total cholesterol, uric acid, and a decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate.

CONCLUSIONS

MS is present in almost half of an unselected hypertensive population (two thirds using the newest criteria). It is more frequent in women than in men and it is associated with mild abnormalities in renal function. MS patients are more refractory to antihypertensive treatment, even with a higher number of antihypertensive drugs.