No 6/October 25, 2001
Embargoed: Thursday, October 25, 12.45 pm
Weight Management Prevents the Sequelae of Obesity
Fat Cells Regulate Blood Pressure - How effective is Medication for Hypertension and Diabetes?
Obesity, hypertension and type-2 diabetes damage blood
vessels, the heart and kidneys. As a result, obese individuals often develop
heart diseases, stroke, or kidney problems.
”The most effective way to reduce these severe health risks is to lose
weight. However, most patients fail to achieve long-term weight loss. Blaming
the patient for this failure is too easy”, Prof. Arya Sharma, physician and
hypertension expert (Franz Volhard Clinic for Cardiovascular Diseases, Charité,
Medical School, Humboldt University of Berlin) pointed out in a press
conference held on October 25, 2001 at the ”2nd International Symposium on
Obesity and Hypertension”. ”In recent years we have gained new insights into
the importance of genetic factors for the development of obesity and the
complexity with which the body regulates and defends its body weight. Also, the
drugs often used to manage hypertension and diabetes may make it even more
difficult for patients to lose weight. New findings now also show that fat
cells produce a host of mediators that can affect blood pressure and metabolic
function”. The physician, who
is one of the organisers of this symposium at the Max Delbrück Center for
Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, expressed his hope, that these new
findings will lead to new preventive strategies and new drugs to effectively
treat obesity and related diseases.
When and how does obesity trigger hypertension? New findings show, that fat cells produce a variety of molecules that have a direct impact on the regulation of blood pressure and the body`s metabolism. The hormone leptin for example is now accused of increasing the activity of the sympathetic nervous systems, an important regulator of blood pressure.
Prof. Sharma and his colleagues have also shown that fat cells (adipocytes) produce all components of the Renin-Angiotensin-System (RAS), another important regulator of blood pressure. ”We now believe, that increased activity of this system in adipose tissue may not only induce hypertension but can also play a role in the development of type- 2 diabetes”, Prof. Sharma said.
Perhaps these findings can explain, why treating hypertensive patients is so difficult. ”Currently we can only speculate on the potential benefits or drawbacks of certain agents for obese hypertensive patients. Notably, there are no official guidelines available to provide specific advice on the pharmacological management of obese hypertensive patients”, Prof. Sharma said. ”Given the increasing prevalence of obesity-related hypertension, there efficacy and outcome of obese patients on different antihypertensive agents. The role of the pharmacological management of obesity in controlling blood pressure also needs to be addressed”, he stressed.
Barbara Bachtler
Press and Public Affairs
Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch
Robert-Rössle-Straße 10; 13125 Berlin; Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 96
Fax: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 33
e-mail: presse@mdc-berlin.de
http://www.mdc-berlin.de/englisch/about_the_mdc/public_relations/e_index.htm