Don’t ignore the connection between obesity and cardiovascular disease
Learn about the connection between this common comorbidity for your patients with obesity and how it can affect their health
It’s time to make weight loss a priority
In one study, patients 16 years of age and older with an elevated BMI were
~2x
as likely
to have hypertension1
Obesity can be associated with some common CVD risk factors, including2:
- Hypertension
- Dyslipidemia
- Type 2 diabetes
Obesity and its related risk factors can lead to development of cardiovascular diseases, including2-4:
- Coronary artery disease
- Myocardial infarction
- Heart failure
How does obesity affect cardiovascular disease?
Nearly
3MILLION
obesity-related cardiovascular deaths occurred worldwide in 20155
Obesity can lead to enlarged adipose tissue cells, or adipocytes, which promote low-grade systemic inflammation.6 This can3,7:
- Lead to vascular breakdown
- Cause structural and functional myocardial damage
Increased adipose tissue can further lead to endothelial dysfunction and serious cardiovascular conditions.7
BRING OBESITY TO THE FOREFRONT
WITH YOUR PATIENTS WITH CVD RISK FACTORS
A 5% to 10% weight loss can improve8:
- triglycerides
- HDL cholesterol
- diastolic blood pressure
Obesity is caused by a range of factors
Patients may be waiting for HCPs to take that important first step and discuss weight management
References
1. Bramlage P, Pittrow D, Wittchen HU, et al. Hypertension in overweight and obese primary care patients is highly prevalent and poorly controlled. Am J Hypertens. 2004;17(10):904-910.
2. Powell-Wiley TM, Poirier P, Burke LE, et al. Obesity and cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2021;143:e984-e1010.
3. Cohen JB. Hypertension in obesity and the impact of weight loss. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2017;19(10):98.
4. Thomsen M, Nordestgaard BG. Myocardial infarction and ischemic heart disease in overweight and obesity with and without metabolic syndrome. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174:15-22.
5. Afshin A, Forouzanfar MH, Reitsma MB; GBD 2015 Obesity Collaborators. Health effects of overweight and obesity in 195 countries over 25 years. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(1):13-27.
6. Heymsfield SB, Wadden TA. Mechanisms, pathophysiology, and management of obesity. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(3):254-266.
7. Cercato C, Fonseca FA. Cardiovascular risk and obesity. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2019;11:74.
8. Ryan DH, Yockey SR. Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15% and over. Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194.
