Implications of Obesity in Heart Failure

Guest: Adrian da Silva de Abreu, M.D., Ph.D.(c), M.Sc.
Host: Paul A. Friedman, M.D.

Obesity and heart failure are two common pandemics with significant overlap. Obesity is known to be a risk factor for multiple cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, especially for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. According to the Framingham Heart Study, the risk of heart failure increases by 5% and 7% for every 1-point BMI increase in men and women, respectively. Among patients with heart failure, is obesity associated with worse prognosis? Do patients with heart failure also benefit from weight loss? Does obesity warrant special considerations when managing patients with heart failure? These, and other questions will be answered by our guest, Adrian da Silva de Abreu, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D.(c), an advanced heart failure, LVAD, and transplant cardiologist from Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Topics Discussed:
Does obesity increase the risk of heart failure?
Do patients with obesity and heart failure have worse outcomes?
How can we treat patients suffering from obesity and heart failure? Do we treat them the same way as other patients or should we do something different for them?
Can patients with obesity and end-stage heart failure receive heart transplants?