Review article

Epicardial Fat Tissue and Coronary Artery Disease

Miroslav Šram ; Odjel za intenzivno liječenje KBC Osijek
Damir Mihić ; Odjel za intenzivno liječenje KBC Osijek
Davor Zec ; Odjel za intenzivno liječenje KBC Osijek
Mladen Ugljarević ; Odjel za patologiju i citologiju, OB Vukovar

Abstract

Epicardial fat tissue is extraabdominal visceral fat tissue located between the myocardial muscle and the visceral pericard and connected to it embryonally and functionally. A large number of clinical studies support the claim that the epicardial adipose tissue thickness is an independent risk factor for coronary disease. The enlarged volume of the epicardial fat tissue is connected to chronical inflammation and strong production of anti inflammatory cytokines which entice the atherogenesis. Coronary disease can be predicted by standard measurement of the epicardial fat thickness of the right ventricle lateral wall. Thus it is possible to predict the risk of a coronary incident by conducting a CT or MR scan. The correlation between epicardial fat thickness and inflammation of the fat tissue suggests the possibility of potential therapeutical interventions with the aim to delay aterogenesis.

Keywords

epicardial fat tissue; coronary disease; adiposity; cardiovascular risk

Hrčak ID:

185278

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/185278

Publication date:

26.7.2017.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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