Big bellies, related ills have big costs _ in dollars and deaths

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ New study finds that Americans with metabolic syndrome account for four dollars of every 10 dollars spent on prescription drugs for adults. <br/><br/>The condition is marked by big

Monday, May 9th 2005, 9:55 am

By: News On 6

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ New study finds that Americans with metabolic syndrome account for four dollars of every 10 dollars spent on prescription drugs for adults.

The condition is marked by big waistlines, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems.

The report by prescription benefit manager Medco Health Solutions shows adult use of medication for the syndrome jumped 36 percent between 2002 and 2004.

Annual prescription costs for people 20 and older with the syndrome averaged more than four thousand dollars last year, more than four times the average amount.

Medco reached its findings by studying prescription records from a random sample of 2 million clients.

The syndrome was once called Syndrome X.

It was first recognized about 40 years ago, but the term ``metabolic syndrome'' did not come into wide use until the last decade.