OBESITY AND HEART ATTACKS

Obesity increases the risk of a heart attack.

BUT WHY EXACTLY?

Well, it has to do with how the excess body fat, in someone with obesity, affects the blood vessels. Fat tissue releases inflammatory chemicals that damage the inner lining of arteries, making it easier for cholesterol and other substances to accumulate and form fatty plaques in a process called *atherosclerosis* . As these plaques grow, they narrow the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood, reducing blood flow.

Due to atherosclerosis, the heart has to pump harder to circulate blood throughout the larger body mass, increasing its workload and causing the heart muscle to thicken and become less efficient over time. This can lead to heart attacks eventually. 

However, most of the time, the heart attack linked to obesity is due to *coronary rupture.* It occurs when one of the fatty plaques inside a coronary artery ( the artery that supplies your heart ) ruptures, triggering the formation of a blood clot that completely blocks blood flow to part of the heart muscle. Without a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients, heart cells begin to die within minutes, leading to a heart attack. 

Obesity can also cause heart issues indirectly. Blood clotting is commonly associated with conditions such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea, which places additional stress on the cardiovascular system by lowering oxygen levels during sleep and raising blood pressure. Since obesity increased the tendency of blood clotting, heart attacks may need to be brought about that way. 

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