Age, sex, and race/ethnic temporal trends in metabolic syndrome prevalence among individuals with myocardial infarction or stroke in the United States

Introduction Metabolic syndrome (MetS), an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, affects 1 in 3 adults in the United States. Recent trends in MetS prevalence among MI and stroke survivors are unknown. Methods We assessed age, sex, race/ethnicity, and socio-economic status specific trends in rates of MetS among adults ≥ 18 years who participated in National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1999–2010 and who fasted for 8 h (n = 12,502). MetS was defined using the 2009 harmonized definition. MI and stroke were defined by self-reported diagnosis by a health care provider. Results MetS prevalence was 65.8% (2.2%) in MI survivors (n = 663) and 61.2% (3.8%) in stroke survivors (299). Women aged 35 to 64 years with prior MI were more likely to have MetS compared to similarly aged stroke survivors (unadjusted OR 3.13, 95% CI 1.38–7.10). MetS prevalence among MI/stroke survivors remained flat from 1999 to 2010 in all groups except non-Hispanic blacks with prior MI, in whom prevalence increased. From 1999 to 2010, dyslipidemia declined and abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia increased among individuals with prior MI. MetS components remained unchanged among those with prior stroke. Conclusion The persistent high prevalence of MetS among stroke and MI survivors highlights the need for more effective interventions.