Good fat, bad fat: The increasingly complex interplay of adipose tissue and the cardiovascular system

摘要

Obesity is present in more than 30% of adults in the United States and is a known risk factor for a variety of cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and stroke (1). Obesity is considered to be present when there is an excess mass of adipose tissue in the body. There is now widespread acceptance of the notion that regional fat stores might have specific local or systemic effects. The best-known example of a local fat depot with a specific effect is the case of excess fat within the abdominal cavity, which seems to contribute to insulin resistance, raised blood pressure, and dyslipidemia. This constellation of features is referred to as the metabolic syndrome (2).