Obesity as A Risk Factor for Hypertension

Abstract

Obesity has been a global phenomenon around the globe, leading to a variety of disorders such as metabolic diseases, asthma, and cardiovascular disease. Obesity and overweight are commonly linked to higher aldosterone levels in the blood, implying a causal correlation between obesity, hypertension, and mineralocorticoid levels. The adipocyte has long been thought to play a role in body homeostasis control, and new research now shows that human fat is a very active endocrine tissue. As a result, this study investigated whether secretory products from adipocytes specifically activate adrenocortical aldosterone secretion. Indeed, secretory products from isolated human adipocytes boosted steroidogenesis in human adrenocortical cells (NCI-H295R) and bovine adrenocortical cells, with a focus on mineralocorticoid secretion. In conclusion, obesity-related hypertension has a direct correlation between fat tissue metabolism and adrenal mineralocorticoid secretion. hypertension has long been recognized, the molecular basis of the connection between obesity and high blood pressure is still unknown. Hyperaldosteronism is often associated with obesity (2-8), and plasma aldosterone levels have been compared to the volume of fat tissue (9). The mineralocorticoid aldosterone is the most strong mineralocorticoid secreted by the adrenal cortex, facilitating sodium accumulation and blood pressure elevation. As a result, a causal link has been proposed between elevated serum aldosterone levels and hypertension in obese patients (10). Surprisingly, the rise in aldosterone levels associated with obesity is often unrelated to plasma renin function (2,6,8). This is consistent with our own findings, which revealed a slightly higher aldosterone/renin ratio in obese (BMI > 30) hypertensive patients (RR > 145/95, n = 16) compared to obese, normotensive patients (RR 130/80, n = 16).