Obesity, arterial stiffness, and cardiovascular risk.

Long-term follow-up studies have indicated that obesity is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk in both genders. Increased arterial stiffness, as reflected by an increased pulse wave velocity, is significantly and independently associated with higher risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that individuals with obesity are likely to have an increase in aortic stiffness, independent of BP level, ethnicity, and age. The pathophysiologic mechanisms that link abdominal adiposity to stiffening are not fully understood. This report focuses on the role of arterial stiffness in individuals with obesity and on the association between this hemodynamic feature and cardiovascular risk.