Obesity and Coronary Heart Disease

Obesity is commonly cited as a risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Epidemiologic studies tend to support this contention, particularly those focusing on patients with central obesity. Such studies however, are imprecise and prone to misclassification bias. Angiographic a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of the medical sciences 2001-04, Vol.321 (4), p.215-224
Main Author: Alexander, James K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adipose Tissue
Anatomy, Regional
Body Mass Index
Central obesity
Coronary Disease - epidemiology
Coronary Disease - etiology
Coronary Disease - prevention & control
Coronary heart disease
Epidemiologic studies
Humans
Non-traditional coronary risk factors
Obesity
Obesity - complications
Obesity - epidemiology
Risk Factors
Traditional coronary risk factors
United States
Weight Loss
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Summary:Obesity is commonly cited as a risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Epidemiologic studies tend to support this contention, particularly those focusing on patients with central obesity. Such studies however, are imprecise and prone to misclassification bias. Angiographic and post mortem studies have demonstrated little or no correlation of total fat mass and coronary atherosclerosis except in those with abdominal obesity. There is a strong association of obesity, particularly central obesity, and traditional risk factors for CHD such as hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. There may also be an association between obesity and several nontraditional risk factors such as hyperhomocystinemia, elevated Lp(a) levels and factors that increase thrombogenesis. Obesity may also alter endothelial function. Weight loss, although associated with favorable modification of multiple risk factors for CHD, has not been shown to independently and definitively reduce CHD risk.
ISSN:0002-9629
1538-2990
DOI:10.1097/00000441-200104000-00002