The fat around the heart increases the risk of heart failure – the practice of healing

Discover a new risk factor for heart failure

It has long been known that obesity increases the risk of heart failure. A US research team now suggests that fatty deposits around the heart are primarily responsible for the increased risk.

Researchers from Icahn College of Medicine at Mount Sinai (USA) have shown that fat deposits around the heart are a risk factor for heart failure. A high percentage of so-called epicardial fat doubles the risk of heart failure in women, and the risk in men increases by 50 percent. The search results were recently published inJournal of the American College of Cardiology” Foot.

The largest study yet on this topic

It is the largest study yet to demonstrate the link between epicardial fat and heart failure. The early intervention that can lead to better heart disease prevention can be learned from the results.

I looked closely

“ For nearly two decades, we knew that extreme weight gain, based on simple measurements of height and weight, could double the risk of developing heart failure, but we have now taken another step forward by using imaging to show the increase in fat in the pericardium, possibly because of its close location. From the heart muscle, it increases the risk of developing this deadly disease – heart failure, “according to the chief cardiologist, Satish Kanshaya.

“This work gives us an important tool to divide patients into higher and lower risks of developing heart failure, which can lead to early intervention and prevention of heart failure in order to ultimately save people’s lives,” stresses the doctor.

Course of study

Researchers examined the relationship between pericardial fat and the risk of heart failure using chest CT scans in nearly 7,000 participants between the ages of 45 and 84. The subjects have been observed for more than 17 years. At the start of the study, it was confirmed that none of the participants showed any signs of heart disease.

During the 17-year study period, nearly 400 of the participants developed heart failure. Especially those with excess fat accumulating around the heart were at increased risk, even when the researchers looked at all known risk factors for heart failure, including

Heart fat as an independent risk factor for heart failure

Taking all risk factors into account, it has been shown that a large volume of epicardial fat increases the risk of developing A. Heart failure It doubled in women and increased by 50 percent in men. Researchers identified a large volume of heart fat when women had more than 70 cubic centimeters of fat and men had more than 120 cubic centimeters of fat around the heart.

Heart fat is poorly linked to BMI

Additionally, the researchers found that body mass index (BMI) could only give a poor to moderate indication of the presence of excessive pericardial fat. Excessive fat accumulation around the heart not only occurred in obese participants, but also in lean and overweight people.

Dr. said. Kenchaya. More studies are needed to confirm results. In the opinion of the working group, future research should also address the question of whether interventions such as healthy eating or exercise can reduce or avoid fat deposits around the heart. (Fb)