Clinical Scorecard: Cardiovascular Disease and Obesity: A Clinical Consensus from the European Society of Cardiology
At a Glance
Category
Detail
Condition
Obesity as a disease and major cardiovascular risk factor
Key Mechanisms
Excess body fat leads to cardiovascular risk factors (T2DM, dyslipidaemia, hypertension) and direct adverse effects on cardiac structure and function, causing atherosclerotic and non-atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Target Population
Individuals with overweight and obesity, including those with established cardiovascular disease
Care Setting
Primary and secondary cardiovascular disease prevention settings, multidisciplinary clinical care
Key Highlights
Obesity prevalence has more than doubled globally over four decades, affecting over one billion people.
Two-thirds of obesity-related excess mortality is attributable to cardiovascular disease.
Obesity is underrecognized and sub-optimally managed compared to other modifiable cardiovascular risk factors.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Recognize obesity as a disease and assess body mass index (BMI) and related cardiovascular risk factors.
Evaluate the interplay between obesity and cardiovascular conditions including atherosclerosis, heart failure, arrhythmias, and thromboembolic disease.
Management
Implement multidisciplinary treatment approaches including lifestyle modification, nutrition, physical activity, pharmacological therapy, and bariatric interventions as appropriate.
Focus on both population-based prevention and personalized weight loss strategies to maintain healthy body weight from early childhood through adulthood.
Monitoring & Follow-up
Regularly monitor cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiac outcomes in patients with obesity.
Assess effectiveness of weight loss interventions on cardiovascular risk reduction.
Risks
Consider the increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with obesity.
Address the high healthcare costs and societal impact related to obesity-associated cardiovascular disease.
Patient & Prescribing Data
Patients with obesity and established or at risk for cardiovascular disease
Anti-obesity medications and bariatric procedures should be considered as part of comprehensive management to improve cardiometabolic risk and cardiac outcomes.
Clinical Best Practices
Raise awareness of obesity as a major cardiovascular risk factor among healthcare professionals.
Adopt evidence-based, multidisciplinary approaches for prevention and treatment of obesity within cardiovascular care.
Tailor interventions to individual patient needs, considering both primary and secondary prevention contexts.
by Konstantinos C Koskinas, Emeline M Van Craenenbroeck, Charalambos Antoniades, Matthias Blüher, Thomas M Gorter, Henner Hanssen, Nikolaus Marx, Theresa A McDonagh, Geltrude Mingrone, Annika Rosengren, Eva B Prescott, the ESC Scientific Document Group
