Normally when you eat, food is absorbed into your bloodstream after it is digested and what are called beta cells in the pancreas increase putting out a hormone, called insulin, which helps remove glucose from the bloodstream so it can be used for energy. Insulin resistance means that those beta cells do not work as well as they should, so the pancreas has to pump out more insulin than normal. This can lead to high blood sugar or even Type 2 diabetes.

Insulin resistance syndrome, also called metabolic syndrome, is actually a combination of medical conditions that have been found to significantly increase the chance of someone with these conditions developing Type 2 diabetes or even heart disease and stroke.

There is no single test or medication for insulin resistance syndrome because it is not a disease per se. Rather, your doctor would look for other conditions, such as obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, and cholesterol problems to see if you may have or be likely to develop insulin resistance syndrome.

If you doctor finds a number of the conditions associated with insulin resistance syndrome, he will probably start you on a regimen to treat each condition separately in order to reduce the likelihood that those conditions, when taken together, will result in insulin resistance syndrome...which may then result in developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Since a primary factor in developing insulin resistance syndrome is obesity, especially abdominal obesity, weight loss is usually the first recommended treatment, calling for both changes in diet and increased physical activity.

Multiple medications may also be required. When high blood sugar, or even Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, patients will probably be put on medication to help the body process sugars. High cholesterol or blood pressure will also be treated to lower them.

Insulin resistance syndrome is actually preventable. A healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and keeping your weight down through proper diet, as well as taking medications for conditions that diet and exercise have not helped enough (e.g. high blood pressure) can keep this potential deadly syndrome from developing.