From Heartwire (free reg): Obesity paradox strengthened by new SCAAR data in ACS. Lest the acronyms drive you nuts, they are not mine (for a change!).
SCAAR = Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty RegistryACS = Acute Coronary SyndromesFrom the article:PCI = Percutaneous coronary intervention (coronary angioplasty, angioplasty)
Those who were deemed overweight or obese by body-mass index (BMI) had a lower risk of death after PCI than normal-weight or underweight participants up to three years after hospitalization ...
"In patients who have a chronic disease, obesity seems to have some kind of protective effect—what this is we don't know, it's difficult to say," coauthor of the new research, Dr Kristjan Karason (University of Gothenburg, Sweden), told heartwire. ...
Drs Stephan von Haehlin, Oliver Hartmann, and Dr Stefan D Anker (Charité Medical School, Berlin, Germany) agree that this research strengthens the existing evidence for the obesity paradox. They conclude that weight loss in patients with chronic illness and a BMI of <40 a="a" always="always" and="and" bad="bad" blockquote="blockquote" chronic="chronic" exists="exists" fact="fact" illness="illness" in="in" is="is" kg="kg" live="live" longer.="longer." loss="loss" m2="m2" makes="makes" not="not" patients="patients" single="single" study="study" suggest="suggest" that="that" to="to" weight="weight">Things that make you go hmmmmm. One caveat, this study doesn't address one's risk of cardiac disease that may be due to obesity/overweight. But once you're sick? It seems plausible that the excess weight = energy = perhaps endogenous DHA source and/or losing weight at this point causes more stress-induced negative impacts than benefit. I'll still be trying to avoid any need for PCI ;-)
