Study for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) I. Engage with flashcards and multiple-choice questions with detailed feedback. Prepare confidently!

Multiple Choice

Which cluster of risk factors defines metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is defined by a cluster of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors that tend to occur together, increasing the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The components include abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, reduced HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and elevated fasting glucose. A diagnosis is made when three or more of these factors are present. The cluster that lists all five factors matches this definition, making it the best representation. The other options miss one or more components or include factors not used to define the syndrome (for example, high LDL cholesterol is not part of the diagnostic set, and having only two factors like obesity and elevated fasting glucose isn’t enough to meet the criterion).

Metabolic syndrome is defined by a cluster of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors that tend to occur together, increasing the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The components include abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, reduced HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and elevated fasting glucose. A diagnosis is made when three or more of these factors are present.

The cluster that lists all five factors matches this definition, making it the best representation. The other options miss one or more components or include factors not used to define the syndrome (for example, high LDL cholesterol is not part of the diagnostic set, and having only two factors like obesity and elevated fasting glucose isn’t enough to meet the criterion).