The Concept of CMR

Hypertension and Obesity

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The worldwide obesity epidemic may have helped raise hypertension rates, as overweight individuals have higher rates of hypertension than normal weight individuals (14-16). A weight loss of just 4.5 kg reduces BP and/or prevents hypertension in a large proportion of overweight individuals (17). High BP is also a common feature of the metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of developing CVD and type 2 diabetes. The link between hypertension and CVD may therefore be obesity, especially intra-abdominal (visceral) obesity, which has been tied to various atherogenic and diabetogenic abnormalities (18). For more information on intra-abdominal adipose tissue and hypertension, click here.

Hypertension is taking on greater importance as a medical and public health issue. The relationship between hypertension and CVD risk is well documented and is independent of other risk factors (19). An elevated BP increases the risk of myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, as well as kidney and cerebrovascular diseases. Furthermore, hypertension is typically associated with abnormal cholesterol levels, a greater body mass index, and an increased prevalence of diabetes. Various hypertension management strategies are available to patients with elevated BP, including lifestyle modifications and antihypertensive drugs. However, healthcare professionals must not only identify and treat patients with hypertension, they must also promote a healthy lifestyle and emphasize prevention in order to decrease the prevalence of hypertension in the general population.

Reference

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14. Brown CD, Higgins M, Donato KA, et al. Body mass index and the prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia. Obes Res 2000; 8: 605-19.

15. Chiang BN, Perlman LV and Epstein FH. Overweight and hypertension. A review. Circulation 1969; 39: 403-21.

16. Stamler R, Stamler J, Riedlinger WF, et al. Weight and blood pressure. Findings in hypertension screening of 1 million Americans. JAMA 1978; 240: 1607-10.

17. He J, Whelton PK, Appel LJ, et al. Long-term effects of weight loss and dietary sodium reduction on incidence of hypertension. Hypertension 2000; 35: 544-9.

18. Després JP and Lemieux I. Abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome. Nature 2006; 444: 881-7.

19. Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, et al. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: the JNC 7 report. JAMA 2003; 289: 2560-72.

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