Obesity as a predictor for cardiovascular disease development: role of localized fat depot

Abstract

At present a steady increase of obesity prevalence is observed all over the world. It is known that specifically visceral obesity is associated with high risk of cardiovascular disease and their complications development, but the available verification methods do not determine the real visceral adipose tissue volume accurately. The importance of localized fat depot as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and as an early marker of target organs damage in obese patients is discussed in the review. An alternative method of epicardial adipose tissue thickness determined with the use of echocardiography used as waist circumference analogue for a more precise evaluation of visceral obesity in everyday practice is reviewed.

Keywords

• obesity
• visceral ectopic fat
• localized fat depot
• epicardial adipose tissue
• paranephral adipose tissue
• cardiovascular disease