Obesity and related risk factors which are leading to atherosclerosis like hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus are very important in pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Coronary heart disease, peripheric artery disease, venous insufficiency, hypertension, heart failure, obesity cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmias are major cardiovascular diseases related with obesity. In the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases in obesity not only the increasing risk factors, but also hormones like insulin, atrial natriuretic peptide, renin, leptin, angiotensin and hemodynamic work load are playing major role. Being obese or overweight is a factor that increases the mortality by cardiovascular diseases and all causes, eventhough there is an obesity paradox fact. Treating and preventing from obesity, provide protection against cardiovascular diseases. The aim in this review is to discuss the cardiovascular diseases related to obesity which is the most important cause of death, and the obesity paradox in the light of recent literature.
Keywords: obesity, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, heart failure, arytmia