Pathophysiological Mechanisms of the Development of Arterial Hypertension in Obesity

Abstract

In most countries of the world, arterial hypertension (AH) occupies a leading position in the structure of modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and their complications. One of the main reasons for this trend is the increasing prevalence of obesity, which is becoming an important risk factor for high blood pressure (BP). The results of numerous epidemiological studies have revealed the relationship between obesity, verified by body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure levels, as well as the prognostic role of BMI in relation to the development of hypertension. However, at present there is no consensus on the obesity criterion that most accurately predicts the risk of developing hypertension and associated complications. Data from prospective observational studies have confirmed the greater prognostic significance in this regard of indirect and direct assessment of abdominal and ectopic visceral adipose tissue. These facts formed the basis for numerous studies aimed at revealing the pathophysiological mechanisms of the formation of hypertension in patients with overweight and obesity, the review of which is devoted to this article.