Metabolic syndrome assessment: which item is NOT needed to assess the syndrome?

• A. Elevated HDL cholesterol
• B. Elevated triglyceride levels
• C. Elevated fasting glucose
• D. Elevated blood pressure

Answer: (A)

Metabolic syndrome is identified by a cluster of risk factors, and you diagnose it when three or more of these are present: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and elevated fasting glucose. The key is that HDL is used in the negative form—low HDL counts toward the syndrome, not high HDL. So an elevated HDL level does not help meet the criteria and therefore isn’t needed to assess for metabolic syndrome. The other factors—high triglycerides, high fasting glucose, high blood pressure, and abdominal obesity—directly contribute to the diagnosis.