Metabolic syndrome ups heart failure later

UPPSALA, Sweden, May 22 (UPI) -- Metabolic syndrome significantly boosts the chances of heart failure in middle age, suggests a study by researchers in Sweden.

The researchers at the University of Uppsala base their findings on regular monitoring of more than 2,300 men who were age 50 between 1970 and 1974 and who were tracked until the age of 70.

The presence of metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of conditions, including obesity, high blood pressure, unfavorable blood fat levels and diabetes -- at the start of the study was strongly associated with the subsequent development of heart failure.

Men with the syndrome were almost twice as likely to develop heart failure as those without, according to the study published in Heart.

The authors suggest that metabolic syndrome may directly affect the heart itself as well as boost the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries. The subsequent excess insulin circulating in the blood may excessively enlarge the heart muscle, impairing its capacity, the researchers say.