Please note: This is the general version of the course: Metabolic Clustering: Risk Factors, Medical Conditions, and Prevention N322B. No pharmacology credits will be earned. Click here to take the pharmacology version.

Course Summary

Expiration Date: 10/16/2028

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a dangerous cluster of conditions like hypertension, glucose metabolism issues, central obesity, and abnormal cholesterol/triglyceride levels, which significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes. It arises when the body’s natural biochemical processes become unbalanced, often due to poor diet, inadequate physical activity, and insulin resistance. Early recognition and intervention, primarily through lifestyle modifications, are crucial to mitigate the severe, life-threatening complications of MetS.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Clustering of Conditions
  • Physical Signs of Metabolic Syndrome
    • Pediatric Obesity
    • Adult Criteria for Diagnosing Obesity
  • Central Obesity and Brown Fat
  • Adipose Tissue: White Fat (WAT) and Brown Fat (BAT)
  • Secondary Conditions of Metabolic Syndrome
    • Elevated Blood Pressure
    • Insulin Resistance, Hyperglycemia, and Diabetes
    • Dyslipidemia
    • Microalbuminuria
    • Fatigue
    • Polydipsia
    • Polyuria
  • Metabolic Syndrome: Chronic Health Conditions
    • Obstructive Sleep Apnea
    • Chronic Kidney Disease
    • Periodontal Disease
    • Chronic Inflammation
    • Gallbladder Disease
  • Lifestyle Screening
  • Case Study: Adult MetS
  • Case Study: Pediatric MetS
  • Summary

Author

Marilyn Lajoie, MD, DC, CCSP

Dr. Marilyn Lajoie obtained her medical degree from Saba University School of Medicine in 1999, Her residency began with one year of Anatomical and Surgical Pathology at Orlando Regional Medical Center, before transferring within the same post-graduate residency program to Internal Medicine. Upon completion of residency, she went into private practice in Orlando, where she specialized in Internal Medicine, Sports Medicine and Rehab, as well as acute and chronic pain management. Before becoming a medical doctor, she had practiced as a Chiropractic Physician, graduating from New York Chiropractic College in 1980, practicing initially on Long Island, N.Y., before moving to Florida where she had a successful chiropractic practice and physical rehabilitation center, and gained recognition as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. Dr. Lajoie was also the Director of Physical Therapy at Horizon Hospital, a residential and outpatient psychiatric hospital, and later, continued in the same capacity at Horizon’s sister psychiatric hospital in Brooksville, Florida. Dr. Lajoie maintained her chiropractic license and continued to practice both Internal Medicine and Chiropractic throughout private practice, until moving to the Veterans Healthcare System in 2014. Continuing in both fields, she became the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Montana VA, where she completed her service in 2021. Dr. Lajoie now works predominantly in telemedicine, and in an Expert Witness capacity for both medical and chiropractic cases. Still living in Montana, she enjoys being able to treat not only the rural areas of the state through this technology, but also patients across the US where she maintains multiple active state licenses. She and her husband also own a llama ranch with over thirty llamas that are hand selected for rare genetics. At the llama ranch, the public is invited to come and visit to learn about these elegant creatures, and to see ranch life firsthand – llama style! Dr. Lajoie and her husband have six adult children, as well as seven dogs.