Why Excessive Weight Increases Heart Risk

Researchers at the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center have explained why excessive body weight increases the risk for heart disease.

Dr. M. Reza Movahed and Dr. Adolfo A. Martinez discovered that excessive body weight is associated with a thickening of the heart muscle in the left ventricle, the heart’s pumping chamber. Left ventricular hypertrophy, or LVH, can potentially lead to heart failure and rhythm problems.

We observed that the thickening in the muscle wall becomes especially noticeable in obese patients who have a body mass index of 30 or greater, Movahed said in a statement. Previous studies have shown that left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with a higher risk of mortality.

Analyzing 17,261 heart ultrasounds, the researchers studied moving images of the heart to evaluate structure and function. Results showed that narrowing of the aortic valve, the main valve that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body, was the strongest predictor of LVH, followed by gender and BMI.

The findings were presented at the 18th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Society of Echocardiography in Seattle.