Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a cluster of conditions—increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels—that elevates a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. A review of data from the 2008 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that smokers have an elevated risk for metabolic syndrome, and the risk is even greater among smokers who also drink alcohol, even at moderate levels.

Substance Use & Misuse, August 2019