Course overview:
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors affecting nearly 55% of adults aged 60 and older in the U.S. that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, liver disease, some forms of cancer, and other health problems. In this learning module, we will provide you with the skills and resources to diagnose and manage your patients that are at risk for metabolic syndrome.
Course authors:
Robert H Eckel, MD, FAHA, FACC, FNLA
Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado – Denver
Dr. Eckel is Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology,
Metabolism, and Diabetes, and the Division of Cardiology at the University of Colorado- Denver in
Aurora, CO. He also serves as Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, and the Charles A. Boettcher
Endowed Chair in Atherosclerosis in the Department of Medicine at the University of Colorado – Denver
Anschutz Medical Campus. Dr Eckel earned his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College
of Medicine and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at University of Wisconsin Hospitals in
Madison, and fellowship in Metabolism and Endocrinology at the University of Washington School of
Medicine in Seattle. His translational research has incorporated data from populations; human subjects
in the Clinical Translational Research Center; and genetically-modified mice and tissue culture to pursue
mechanistic relationships between metabolic disorders such as obesity/metabolic syndrome/diabetes
and cardiovascular disease. Dr Eckel has more than 300 articles published in peer-reviewed journals and
is past president of the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, The Obesity Society,
and Association of Patient Oriented Research. Dr Eckel co-chaired the 2013 ACC/AHA Lifestyle Guideline
for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and was a member of the 2013 ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guideline
Committee.
Michael Rothkopf, MD, FACP, FACN
Clinical Professor of Medicine, Rutgers University/ New Jersey Medical School – Newark
Dr. Rothkopf is a recognized national leader in nutritional medicine. He has extensive clinical experience
and has been on the staff of multiple hospitals and medical schools in the NJ/NY region. He founded the
Metabolic Medicine Center at Morristown Medical Center in 2008. He has been on the board of the
National Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists since 2012 and was previously President. He was a
board member and national conference chairman for the American College of Nutrition between 2011-
2015. He is the Founding Medical Director of the nutritional medicine e-learning site, Rx-Nutrition, from
the American Society for Nutrition. Dr. Rothkopf earned bachelor’s degrees in both biology and
journalism at Syracuse University and his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School. He
trained in Internal Medicine University Hospital and was Chief Medical Resident at the VA Medical
Center (both at New Jersey Medical School). He then trained in Critical Care, Neurointensive Care, and
Nutrition/Metabolism (all at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center).
