The Deadly Quartet

Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high triglyceride levels are sometimes called "the deadly quartet." According to a recent study, women are more likely to die if they have only one of the four risk factors, but women with all four have 5 times the risk for death as men with the "deadly quartet." Additionally, women with this combination are up to 12 times more likely to die than men during the first 10 years following coronary bypass graft surgery.

For more information, see You Can Help Yourself.

Reference:
"Common Health Concerns Can Be a Deadly Quartet," Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2002.