Alterations in myocardial characteristics associated with obesity: detection, mechanisms, and implications.

Hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and coronary artery disease all contribute to the myocardial dysfunction in obesity. However, the development of sensitive cardiac imaging techniques has enabled detection of myocardial structural and functional changes independently attributable to obesity, at the preclinical stage. This review will evaluate the evidence for myocardial disease in this setting, its significance, important mechanisms, preclinical detection, and possible therapeutic implications.