Obesity Paradox in Atrial Fibrillation: Implications for Outcomes and Relationship with Oral Anticoagulant Drugs

AbstractIn the last 40  years, concern about the obesity epidemic has increased. Data from the current literature highlight a strong relationship between obesity and atrial fibrillation (AF), particularly in relation to an increased risk for incident and recurrent AF. A phenomenon called the “obesity paradox” has eme rged: the apparently counterintuitive evidence from epidemiological data indicating that overweight and obese patients may have a better prognosis than healthy-weight patients. A differential impact of oral anticoagulants (OACs) in terms of effectiveness and safety in the various body mass index cat egories has been postulated, particularly in the comparison between non-vitamin-K antagonist oral anticoagulants and vitamin K antagonists. This review aims to summarize the evidence on the impact of obesity in patients with AF, focusing on descriptions of the obesity paradox and its relationships w ith OAC treatment.
Source: American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research