Obesity and metabolic syndrome as related to cardiovascular disease

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) constitutes a multifaceted disorder, including obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension, associated with an increased propensity towards cardiovascular disease (CVD). Besides this, accumulating data suggest the involvement of nontraditional, novel, cardiovascular risk factors in MetS. Among them, insulin resistance seems to possess a predominant role in MetS-related CVD in obese patients. Furthermore, adipose tissue fatty acid metabolism, increased incidence of oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction, and excessive production of adipocyte derivatives, known as adipokines, have all been proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of CVD in obese patients with MetS. Lifestyle interventions, such as weight loss and increased physical activity, have long been the cornerstone for the treatment of obesity-related disorders. With the exception of obesity, pharmaceutical interventions targeting each disorder of MetS have yielded considerable improvement in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The long-term management of obesity and its complications seems promising but requires further investigation.