1. Ford ES, Jiles WH. Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among US adults. JAMA 2002; 287: 356–9.
2. Lakka HM et al. The metabolic syndrome and total and cardiovascular disease mortality in middle-aged men. JAMA 2002; 288: 2709–16.
3. Girman CJ et al. The metabolic syndrome and risk of major coronary events in the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (4S) and the Air Force/Texas Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study (AFCAPS/TexCAPS). Am J Cardiol 2004; 93: 136–41.
4. Ninomiva JK et al. Association of the metabolic syndrome with history of myocardial infarction and stroke in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Circulation 2004; 109: 42–6.
5. Stern M et al. Does the metabolic syndrome improve identification of individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease? Diabetes Care 2004; 27: 2676–81.
6. Isomaa B, Almgren P, Tuomi T et al. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with the metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Care 2001; 24: 683–9.
7. Rabmouni K, Correia M et al. Obesety-associated hypertension. New insights into mechanisms. Hypertension 2005; 45: 9–14.
8. Mendelsohn M, Karas R. The protective effects of estrogen on cardiovascular system. N Engl J Med 1999; 34: 1801–11.
9. Griendling KK, Alexander RW. Oxidative stress and cardiovascular disеase. Circulation 1997; 96: 3264–5.
10. Vilecco AS. Plasma catecholamines in pre- and postmenopausal women with mild to moderate essential hypertension. J Hum Hypertens 1997; 11: 152–62.
11. Taddei S, Virdis A, Ghiadoni L. Menopause is associated with endothelial dysfunction in women. Hypertension 1996; 28: 576–82.
12. Haynes MP, Sinha D, Russell KS et al. Membrane estrogen receptor engagement activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase via the PI3-kinase-akt pathway in human endothelial cells. Circulation Res 2000; 87: 676–9.
13. Chen Z, Yuhanna IS, Galcheva-Gargova Z et al. Estrogen receptor a-mediates the nongenomic activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase by estrogen. J Clin Invest 1999; 103: 401–6.
14. Reaven GM, Lithel H, Landsberg L. Hypertension and associated metabolic abnormalities – the role of insulin resistance and the sympathoadreal system. N Engl J Med 1996; 334: 374–81.
15. Couillard C, Bergeron N et al. Postprandial triglyceride response in visceral obesity in men. Diabetes 1998; 47: 953–60.
16. Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group, Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes with Lifestyle Intervention of Metformin. The New Engl J Med 2002; 346: 393–403.
17. Aronne L, Segal R. Adiposity and fat distribution outcome measures: assessment and clinical implications. Obes Res 2002; 10 (1): 14–21.
18. UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) Group. Intensive blood control with sulphonylurea or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (UKPDS). Lancet 1998; 352: 837–53.
19. Giannarelli R, Aragona M, Coppelli A. Reducing insulin resistance with metformin: the evidence today. Diabet Metabol 2003; 29: 6528–35.
20. Despres J. Potential contribution of metformin to the management of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with abdominal obesity, the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Diabet Metabol 2003; 29: 653–61.
21. Charles A, Vague P, Morange P et al. Effect of weight change and metformin on fibrinolysis and the von Willebrand factor in obese nondiabetic subjects. The BIGPROl Study. Diabet Care 1998; 11: 1967–72.
22. Chan N. Improved endothelial function with metformin in type 2 diabetes mellitus. JAM Coll Cardiol 2001; 38: 2131–2.
23. Julius S, Majahalme S. The changing face of sympathetic overactivity in hypertension. Ann Med 2000; 32: 365–70.
24. Rumantir MS, Vaz M, Esler MD Neural mechanisms in human obesity-related hypertension. J Hypertens 1999; 1125–33.
25. Chobanian AV et al The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evalution, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: The JNC 7 Report. JAMA 2004; 292: 2227–36.