Dissociation between sympathetic nerve traffic and sympathetically mediated vascular tone in normotensive human obesity.

Obesity increases the risk of hypertension and its cardiovascular complications. This has been partly attributed to increased sympathetic nerve activity, as assessed by microneurography and catecholamine assays. However, increased vasoconstriction in response to obesity-induced sympathoactivation has not been unequivocally demonstrated in obese subjects without hypertension.

Leptin, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Purpose Of Review: Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Leptin levels are increased in obesity and leptin exhibits cardiovascular actions that may contribute to increased cardiovascular risk. We review the sympathetic, renal and vascular actions of leptin and their relevance to cardiovascular disease.