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Review
. 2025 Apr 3;17(7):1250.
doi: 10.3390/nu17071250.

Tracking Pathways Linking Obesity with Heart Failure

Eleni Manta  1 , Panagiotis Iliakis  1 , Christos Fragoulis  1 , Ioannis Leontsinis  1 , Ioannis Stamoulopoulos  1 , Christina Chrysohoou  1 , Konstantinos Tsioufis  1
Affiliations
Review

Tracking Pathways Linking Obesity with Heart Failure

Eleni Manta et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Obesity can cause the onset of heart failure and exacerbate the status of the pre-existing disease. Through intricate pathways, obesity activates hormonal factors that encourage the development of inflammation and lead to increased congestion. Consequently, this complex parallel pathophysiological cascade contributes to the echocardiographic and clinical signs of heart failure. In these patients, obesity frequently coexists with nutritional and muscular profile abnormalities that manifest as cachexia or sarcopenia. Patients with heart failure have a higher chance of surviving when obesity is treated. Interventional, pharmaceutical, and dietary strategies are used as forms of therapy. This review delves into the evaluation of the relationship between obesity and heart failure, and it targets to highlight the therapeutical impact of weight-loss programs on cardiac function in individuals with heart failure and obesity.

Keywords: GLP-1 receptor agonists; bariatric surgery; congestion; heart failure; inflammation; obesity; weight loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pathophysiological mechanisms of obesity-related heart failure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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