title: Obesity and the "obesity paradox" in cardiovascular diseases.
abstract: Obesity adversely affects most cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and is strongly associated, probably as an independent risk factor, with most CV diseases. However, substantial evidence points to the existence of an "obesity paradox," in that overweight and obese patients with established CV diseases typically have a better prognosis than leaner patients with the same CV disease. Despite this paradox, we believe that the "weight" of evidence still supports efforts at purposeful weight loss in both primary and secondary CV prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, John Ochsner Heart & Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School-The University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. clavie@ochsner.org
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lavie
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Ventura
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology