Obese heart attack and angina patients are less likely to die after treatment as compared to normal body mass people, a study suggests.
German and Swiss researchers found obese patients were more than half as likely to survive in the three years after treatment. The study published in the European Heart Journal was conducted on 1,676 patients hospitalized with unstable angina or a definite type of heart attack called a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
Earlier it was an established fact that obese people were more likely to develop diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease and heart problems in the first place, but the new revelation going by this statement says that once a coronary event has occurred and been optimally treated, obese patients have a positive and better chance of survival compared to normal health patients.
However, the research could not explain the reason behind lower mortality rate in obese patients. It is conjectured among the research team that differences in body chemistry caused by obesity might play a role. For example levels of blood platelets that can affect clotting are lower in obese people, whereas levels of fat in the heart tissue that might have a protective effect, are higher.
While few estimate that the higher levels of endogenous cannabinoids known to have a protective effect during a heart attack, in obese people might be the key to their longevity.
The research has left many questions unanswered. Thereby, further research is needed for us to understand the reasons for this link.
It is important the obese people made efforts to lose weight. It is recognized that even a modest intentional weight loss can prevent obesity related cardiovascular risk factors.
Via: BBC
