Heredity and obesity-associated hypertension: impact of hormonal characteristics and left ventricular mass.

Objectives : To investigate the influence of heredity on obesity-associated hypertension, we evaluated casual and 24-h blood pressure, left ventricular mass and some metabolic and hormonal measurements in normotensive obese subjects. Design : Healthy, normotensive obese subjects (n = 81) with positive or negative family history of hypertension were studied. Both groups were also subdivided according to a positive or a negative family history of obesity. Accordingly, 45 obese subjects had a positive family history of hypertension, 25 of these having a positive (subgroup A) and 20 having a negative family history of obesity (subgroup B). The other 36 obese subjects had a negative family histo…

Left ventricular diastolic and systolic function in normotensive obese subjects: influence of degree and duration of obesity.

The present study was carried out to evaluate systolic and diastolic parameters in overweight and moderately obese, but otherwise healthy subjects, and in a lean control group, to determine whether degree and duration of obesity can influence left ventricular function. A total of 27 subjects, 17 overweight or with moderate obesity and 10 lean, healthy subjects were included. Patients were divided into three groups according to their body mass index (BMI) and to Garrow's criteria as follows: lean control group (BMI less than 25 kg.m-2); overweight subjects (BMI from 25 to 30 kg.m-2); moderately obese subjects (BMI greater than 30 less than 40 kg.m-2). Systolic and diastolic parameters were m…

Thyroid function and release of thyroid-stimulating hormone and prolactin from the pituitary in human obesity

Thyroid function, basal serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin concentrations, and the effects of 200 micrograms TSH-releasing hormone (TRH) given intravenously on TSH (delta TSH) and prolactin (delta prolactin) were investigated in 25 euthyroid obese subjects and 20 lean controls. No significant differences in serum thyroid hormone concentrations, glucose metabolism parameters, or basal TSH and prolactin concentrations were detected between groups, but a significant (P less than 0.01) increase in delta TSH and a significant (P less than 0.01) decrease in delta prolactin were observed in obese subjects. No significant differences in basal TSH and prolactin were observed in ob…

Central obesity and hypertension: Pathophysiologic role of renal haemodynamics and function

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of alterations in renal haemodynamics and function and in plasma renin activity on obesity-induced hypertension. DESIGN: Renal haemodynamics and function, salt-regulating hormones and structural cardiac parameters were evaluated in 20 lean normotensives and in 64 obese subjects with central or peripheral fat distribution, 43 of them were normotensives and 21 of them were hypertensives. Obesity and central fat distribution were defined according to sex-specific 85th percentile respectively of Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR). MEASUREMENTS: Serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI), plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone (PA), microalbumi…

Effects of Middle-Term Treatment with Nifedipine on Hemodynamic Parameters and on Left Ventricular Function in Hypertensive Patients

Heredity and obesity-associated hypertension:impact on hormonal characteristics and left ventricular mass.