Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disorder associated with CVD and increased morbidity and mortality rates. Obesity is linked with a large range of medical complications. There is evidence that obesity is not only related to conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis and polycystic ovary syndrome, but also that weight reduction has beneficial effects and therefore is an integral part of treating these morbidities .The problem of obesity has been identified as one of the major CVD risk factors since 1998, It is apparent that a variety of adaptations/alterations in cardiac structure and function occur as excessive adipose tissue accumulates, even in the absence of systemic hypertension or underlying organic heart disease. To meet increased metabolic needs, circulating blood volume, plasma volume, and cardiac output all increase. The increase in blood volume in turn increases venous return to the right and the left ventricles, eventually producing dilation of these cardiac cavities, increasing wall tension.