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World J Cardiol. Sep 26, 2014; 6(9): 890-907
Published online Sep 26, 2014. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v6.i9.890
Metabolic syndrome in hypertensive patients: An unholy alliance
Giuseppe Mulè, Ilenia Calcaterra, Emilio Nardi, Giovanni Cerasola, Santina Cottone
Giuseppe Mulè, Ilenia Calcaterra, Emilio Nardi, Giovanni Cerasola, Santina Cottone, Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica (DIBIMIS), Unit of Nephrology and Hypertension, European Society of Hypertension Excellence Centre, Università di Palermo, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Author contributions: Mulè G and Calcaterra I designed and wrote the paper; Nardi E helped to write the section of the paper regarding cardiac organ damage; Cerasola G and Cottone S helped to write the section of the paper regarding renal damage and therapeutic implications.
Correspondence to: Giuseppe Mulè, MD, Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica (DIBIMIS), Unit of Nephrology and Hypertension, European Society of Hypertension Excellence Centre, Università di Palermo, Via Monte San Calogero 129, 90146 Palermo, Italy. giuseppe.mule@unipa.it
Telephone: +39-091-6554578 Fax: +39-091-6554338
Received: March 29, 2014
Revised: May 13, 2014
Accepted: July 18, 2014
Published online: September 26, 2014
Processing time: 182 Days and 11.3 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Several lines of evidence suggest that metabolic syndrome (MetS) may amplify hypertension-related target organ damage (TOD). Some of MetS components, when considered individually may have little or no influence on TOD, but when taken together may synergistically interact promoting the development of left ventricular hypertrophy, aortic stiffness and microalbuminuria. The marked tendency of hypertensive patients with MetS to develop these manifestations of subclinical organ damage, that are well-known predictors of cardiovascular events, largely explain the increased morbidity and mortality associated with the syndrome. Therefore, identifying MetS in hypertensive patients may enable the clinician to better assess the cardiovascular risk.