Screen Patients with Obesity for These 2 CVD Risk Factors, Says One Expert

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in persons worldwide, making prevention of CVD a main priority for clinicians, said Alina Elperin, MD, in a recent interview with Patient Care Online. Dr Elperin is an internest and obesity medicine specialist in Evanston, Illinois, as well as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

"In patients with obesity, unfortunately, the risk of heart disease or stroke or other vascular disease is considerably higher than in patients without obesity," stated Elperin. "I view obesity as one of those umbrella risk factors where it in itself causes other independent risk factors for heart disease...so preventing obesity or helping to treat obesity appropriately, really helps control all the major risk factors that play a role in cardiovascular disease."

In the video below, Dr Elperin shares 2 CVD risk factors that primary care clinicians should put at the top of the list for screening in patients with obesity.