Approximately 2500 Americans die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) each day. 
Each year, CVD claims more lives than the next four leading causes of death 
combined. Direct and indirect costs of CVD are estimated to be Dollars 403.1 
billion in 2006. Despite advancements in conventional therapy, the residual risk 
of CVD continues to rise. One component of the cardiometabolic risk is metabolic 
syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of interrelated risk factors of 
metabolic origin including abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, elevated 
blood pressure, elevated plasma glucose level, and prothrombotic and 
proinflammatory states that promote atherosclerotic CVD and increase the risk of 
type 2 diabetes mellitus. Approximately 47 million residents of the United 
States have metabolic syndrome. Abdominal obesity and insulin resistance appear 
to be its predominant underlying risk factors. Abdominal adiposity is considered 
high-risk fat, and it is associated with insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, 
dyslipidemia, hypertension, and prothrombotic and/or proinflammatory states. 
Despite notable advances in cardiovascular risk management, the prevalence of 
cardiovascular events and type 2 diabetes remains high. First-line therapy for 
individuals with metabolic syndrome should be directed to the major CVD risk 
factors, namely, elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, 
hypertension, and diabetes, and it should emphasize lifestyle modification. 
Until additional research better defines the most appropriate therapies, 
conventional cardiovascular risk factors, such as lipid levels, blood pressure, 
and diabetes, should be managed in individuals with metabolic syndrome according 
to nationally accepted clinical guidelines.