ABSTRACT

There is general agreement that the metabolic syndrome describes a cluster of clinical characteristics whose components vary considerably among different individuals and different racial and ethnic groups (1). Elevated blood pressure

(BP), a cardinal risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), has been included as a component of the metabolic syndrome in all guidelines that define this entity. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2) report defined elevated BP as >140/90 mmHg, for defining the metabolic syndrome whereas the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines (3) used a cut point of >130/85 mmHg (high-normal BP).