Metabolic syndrome increases risk of peripheral artery disease in women.

The article discusses the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) to the increased risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in middle-aged women in the U.S. It notes that MetS was identified as a risk factor for other cardiovascular conditions. Study shows that the risk of PAD was three times higher in women who met three or more MetS criteria than in those with no MetS. Smoking is considered as the most powerful risk factor for PAD and was associated with 12.7-fold increased risk.