Ethnic Differences in the Risk of Developing Metabolic Syndrome or its Components in Women with a History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Women with a history of GDM mellitus (GDM) are known to be at increased cardiovascular risk. These women require more non-invasive cardiac diagnostic procedures and present with more cardiovascular episodes and hospital admissions for cardiovascular reasons, compared to healthy controls.

One-third to one-half of women with a history of GDM will develop type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) within 3-5 years, and this condition is a known risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease.

Moreover, metabolic and cardiovascular alterations that increases the risk of T2DM and cardiovascular disease cluster together in the metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by central body adiposity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and elevated fasting glucose levels.

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