"286 Metabolic syndrome is t he name for a group of risk factors that raise your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. The five metabolic risk factors are a large waistline (abdominal obesity), a high triglyceride level, a low HDL cholesterol l evel, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed if you have at least three of these metabolic risk factors. Physical Activity Routine physical activity can lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and raise your HDL choleste rol level. People gain health benefits from as little as 60 minutes of moderate - intensity aerobic activity per week (however, 150 minutes per week is the recommendation). The more active you are, the more you will benefit. Cholesterol - Lowering Medicines In addition to lifestyle changes, your doctor may prescribe medicines to help lower your cholesterol. Even with medicines, you should continue the TLC program. Medicines can help control high blood cholesterol, but they don’t cure it. List of Treatments for Cardiovascular Disease • Drugs: There are a number of drugs on the market that aid in the prevention and management of all of the aforementioned conditions. They cannot replace the benefits of diet, exercise, and stress management, but should be used in conjunction. • Angiogram: One of many diagnostic tests used to determine location and extent of coronary artery disease. • Angioplasty: A procedure where a balloon is fed through a catheter into a coronary artery and a blockage is opened when the balloon is in flated. • Stent: A “prop” that keeps the artery open following angioplasty. • Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: A surgical procedure in which blockages in coronary arteries are bypassed via grafting of vessels (vein & arterial tissues can be used) around the block age. This used to be done only “open chest” or “open heart”; modern surgical practice allows for some blockages to be bypassed via small opening in between the ribs (rather than sawing open the breast bone). • Endarcterectomy: When the carotid artery (feeds the brain) is opened via a procedure (angioplasty &/or stent, usually). • Valve replacements: valves separate the chambers of the heart. Sometimes those valves become compromised either mechanically or via infection and have to be replaced. Porcine of mec hanical valves can be used."