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The Impacts of Obesity on the Cardiovascular and Renal Systems: Cascade of Events and Therapeutic Approaches

  • Hypertension and Obesity (E Reisin, Section Editor)
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Abstract

There is a neglected epidemic of both obesity and metabolic syndrome in industrialized and unindustrialized countries all over the globe. Both conditions are associated with a high incidence of other serious pathologies, such as cardiovascular and renal diseases. In this article, we review the potential underlying mechanisms by which obesity and metabolic syndrome promote hypertension, including changes in cardiovascular–renal physiology induced by leptin, the sympathetic nervous system, the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, insulin resistance, free fatty acids, natriuretic peptides, and proinflammatory cytokines. We also discuss the potential underlying mechanisms by which obesity promotes other cardiovascular and renal conditions, as well as available nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic approaches for treating obesity-induced hypertension. The findings presented herein suggest that adipocytes may be a key regulator of cardiovascular and renal function.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Majid Iranmanesh for assistance with the figures.

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Zohreh Soltani, Vaughn Washco, Stephen Morse, and Efrain Reisin declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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  1. Section of Nephrology and Hypertension, LSUHSC-NO, 1542 Tulane Avenue, Room 330A, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Zohreh Soltani, Vaughn Washco, Stephen Morse & Efrain Reisin

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  1. Zohreh Soltani
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  2. Vaughn Washco
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Correspondence to Zohreh Soltani.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hypertension and Obesity

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Soltani, Z., Washco, V., Morse, S. et al. The Impacts of Obesity on the Cardiovascular and Renal Systems: Cascade of Events and Therapeutic Approaches. Curr Hypertens Rep 17, 7 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-014-0520-2

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