Page 46 - Demo

44 METABOLIC SYNDROME SYNDROME X: THE INVISIBLE DISORDER You’ve been warned! Noxious animals often display conspicuous colours as a warning to potential predators. Whether it’s the bright red body of the granular poison frog, or the yellow and black stripes of a wasp, their unmissable message is clear: I’m warning you to stay away! Generally, predators aren’t ready to risk dying, so unless they’re immune to the poison or equipped to deal with the threat, they heed the warning and look for their next meal elsewhere. Those that ignore the warning usually pay the ultimate price. Knowing what we do about nature, it seems strange that humans ignore so many of nature’s warnings. Why, when we’re neither immune to a poison, nor equipped to deal with its threat, do we choose to carry on regardless, only to regret our decision when it’s time to pay the ultimate price? When the warnings are clear, and the threat is real, perhaps we should pay more attention. Take five This month we’re paying attention to the very real threat of metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X or insulin- By Peter Howard. resistance syndrome. Research suggests the condition affects more than 30 per cent of Australian adults, with an increasing number of children and adolescents also being affected. While not a disease, per se, metabolic syndrome is a collection of disorders that, when combined, increase the risk of disease, with those affected facing a risk of heart attack, stroke, and type 2 diabetes that’s two to three times greater than for people without the condition. Evidence has shown each of the contributing disorders is influenced by lifestyle, with changes in both diet and exercise key to reducing the risk, while most of those affected by the disease will benefit from gaining a better understanding of the lifestyle changes they should make. For those working in pharmacies, developing an understanding of metabolic syndrome will create opportunities to support patients wanting to make those changes. Being able to discuss each of the conditions associated with metabolic syndrome, while recommending current best practice strategies, is going to help patients make informed decisions regarding their diet, exercise and overall lifestyle, potentially reducing their risk and leading to life-changing results. Accredited Practising Dietitian and spokeswoman for Dietitians Australia, Dr Anika Rouf spoke with Retail Pharmacy Assistants, sharing insights into metabolic syndrome and outlining strategies to manage the various factors associated with the condition. “Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of disorders \\\\\\\[risk factors\\\\\\\], which increase the risk of heart disease and are present at the same time in one person,” she said. “So, where patients have multiple risk factors at one time, it’s an indication they can have metabolic syndrome,” she said. To have metabolic syndrome, a person must have at least three of the following five abnormal findings (risk factors): • Central obesity (body fat concentrated around the waist). • Raised triglyceride level (a type of fat in the blood). • Low level of HDL-cholesterol (‘good’ cholesterol). • High blood pressure. • Elevated fasting glucose (blood sugar). “Having more than three of these risk factors increases your chance of having RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • APR 2021