This suggests that metabolic syndrome may have an even greater effect on the risk of clots than seen, and the effect may have been masked due to anticoagulant therapy. Anticoagulant drugs include warfarin (Coumadin), rivaroxaban (Xarelto) and apixaban (Eliquis).
“Having one or more of these conditions of obesity, hyperlipidemia [high cholesterol], hypertension [high blood pressure] or diabetes creates a worse outcome for patients with blood clots.
But the good news is, all four of these conditions can be treated and modified,” researcher Dr. Lauren Stewart, from Indiana University School of Medicine’s department of emergency medicine, said in the news release.
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Prevention
Staying committed to a healthy lifestyle may prevent the conditions that cause metabolic syndrome.
A healthy lifestyle includes:
- Getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days
- Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, lean protein and whole grains
- Limiting saturated fat and salt in your diet
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Not smoking
Although most of the disorders associated with metabolic syndrome don’t have obvious signs or symptoms, a visibly large waist circumference, high blood sugar and signs and symptoms of diabetes — such as increased thirst and urination, fatigue, and blurred vision are all warning signs to watch out for.
If you know you have at least one component of metabolic syndrome, ask your doctor whether testing for other components of the syndrome is needed.