[Treatment of hypertension in the patients with obesity]

Obesity is often accompanied with hypertension and increases cardiovascular events. Japanese new guideline on identification of obesity includes a modified BMI categories and a method of detection of visceral fat obesity in Japanese. Hyper-insulinemia and leptin released from adipose tissue play an important role in the development of hypertension in obese patients. Insulin and leptin increase sympathetic tone which results in sodium retention and hyper-responsiveness of blood vessels. As leptin has also a direct vasodilative and diuretic action, its effect on blood pressure is bidirectional. Life style modification, especially diet and physical exercise are important to obtain the body weight loss and the improvement of insulin resistance. Dynamic exercise at the level of fifty percent of max VO2 for 30 to 60 minutes over three times a week should be recommended for hypertensive patients with obesity. ACE inhibitors improve the hypersympathetic tone and impaired insulin sensitivity in obese patients. Calcium antagonist is also useful for these patients.