Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews - Volume 4, Issue 2, 2008

Both smoking and overeating are very bad habits with serious adverse consequences for health [1, 2]. They are interrelated. Often, smoking is begun as a way to lose weight. On the other hand, smoking cessation is often accompanied by weight gain, which offsets some of the beneficial effects of not smoking [3, 4]. Both smoking and overeating can cause widespread damage to the body [5, 6] and interfere with breathin Read More

Respiration supplies the oxygen needed for energy usage and removes the carbon dioxide one of the waste products of energy consumption. Energy homeostasis is maintained through interacting networks that control food intake, energy usage and the sleep/wake cycle. Adipose tissue mass changes when energy gain s and losses are no longer in balance. But adipose tissue is not passive and through the release of che Read More

Orexins (orexin-A and orexin-B) are produced in the lateral hypothalamic area, also known as the feeding center, have been implicated to play a critical role in central regulation and maintenance of sleep and wakefulness state, feeding and energy homeostasis by acing upon its receptors (orexin receptor 1 and orexin receptor 2) respectively. Orexin neurons are active during wakefulness period and exert an excitatory influ Read More

Obesity affects pulmonary function profoundly. Lung pathology is rarely found in obese people. Thus the functional abnormalities often observed in obese people (e.g., reduced lung volumes, increased airway resistance, hypoxemia and hypercapnia) are a consequence of the added load presented by chest wall adiposity to the respiratory system. This paper describes the mechanisms whereby obesity brings about these f Read More

Obesity trends continue to rise in alarming proportions worldwide. Obstructive sleep apnea, an increasingly commonly recognized disorder, is characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway closure during sleep, and obesity is proposed to be its strongest risk factor. Recognition strategies for OSA in obesity are overwhelmed by the sheer prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea, >80% in those with a BMI >40. Obes Read More

The obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) characterized by persistent hypercapnia with obesity has many causes. Probably the most common cause is the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and related conditions, but some cases may occur along with depressed chemosensitivity and few apneas during sleep. The mechanisms that produce waking hypercapnia are still uncertain. Treatment of OHS consists of weight manag Read More

In the last few decades, obesity has captured the attention of the medical community, as well as the general public. Obesity has been shown to be a direct cause or a contributor to the development of various chronic diseases. In contrast, higher weight has been linked to better outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It also has been recognized that “not all weight has been created equal” an Read More

We review studies examining the impact of obesity on survival, morbidity, and respiratory failure in critical illness. Given the increasing rates of overweight and obesity, there is a surprising lack of well-conducted clinical trials addressing its interaction with critical illness. Unexpectedly, it seems that obesity may not negatively impact, or may even be protective with regards to mortality, though there are a few studies that Read More

The aging lung is characterized by changes that result in both loss of elasticity and muscle strength, causing alterations in lung volumes, such as decreased vital capacity. Obesity compounds these changes. Fat accumulates around the ribs and diaphragm, and there is increased inspiratory resistance and loss of chest wall compliance. This causes an increased work of breathing which, in the worst case, can lead to dyspnea. Read More

Obesity is rapidly becoming a worldwide epidemic with serious consequences of life-shortening morbidity. This paper explores current modalities available for the control of overweight and obesity. Most overweight and obese persons setting out to lose weight envision achieving ideal body weight, a generally unrealistic goal. Studies collated in the National Heart & Lung Institute Monograph (1998) strongly suggest that a loss Read More

Bariatric surgery for morbid obesity is an effective approach to weight loss in selected obese patients. The candidate for surgery must be massively obese and have failed to lose appreciable weight with diet, drugs, and exercise. He must also be committed to lifelong weight maintenance. Bariatric surgical procedures either limit the expansion of the stomach (restrictive surgery) or the effective mixing of gastric contents wi Read More

On average, adults who smoke cigarettes weigh less than nonsmokers. However, they have a greater tendency towards abdominal obesity, and, when they stop smoking, about 80% of them gain weight. Whereas original estimates of the amount of weight ex-smokers gain in one-year's time was about five pounds, long-term follow-up of sustained quitters suggests that the weight gain may be considerably greater. While the h Read More

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic and impacts cardiovascular health. It is closely associated with hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia which are known precursors of cardiovascular disease and have a significant impact on overall morbidity and mortality. Obesity has been identified as an independent risk factor in the development of dilated cardiomyopathy. This article will review the cardiovascular consequences of Read More