Patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).This study sought to assess the prevalence of MetS, and its association with CVD in older hypertensive subjects in Taiwan.We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study of 3,472 hypertensive patients age 55-80 years (1,763men, 1,709 women), from 38 sites across Taiwan from November 2005-December 2006. MetS was defined using the modified criteria of the US National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III, and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). CVD included a diagnosis of angina pectoris (AP), myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), and stroke. The prevalence of MetS based on the modified NCEP criteria was 73.13% (68.29% in men, 78.12% in women). Use of the revised IDF definition significantly decreased the prevalence to 54.67% (46.63% in men, 62.96% in women). Subjects with MetS defined by IDF, or both criteria, had
significantly higher odds ratios (ORs) of AP, CHF and all CVD. ORs of AP, MI, stroke, CHF, and all CVD were all significantly increased in subjects with MetS based on NCEP criteria. Those patients who met the NCEP, but not the IDF criteria, had a significantly elevated OR for MI. In contrast, those who met the IDF, but not the NCEP criteria did not have a significantly elevated OR for any CVD. MetS is highly prevalent in hypertensive patients 55-80 years of age in Taiwan, particularly women. Patients with MetS defined by either criteria have significantly higher ORs for CHF, AP and all CVD than those without MetS. Accordingly, NCEP criteria seems to be more suitable than IDF criteria for estimating cardiovascular risks in this Taiwanese population.