Cardiovascular effects of weight reduction.

Weight reduction programs usually improve the exercise capacity of patients with chronic exogenous obesity. However, the reversibility of left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction associated with obesity is unknown. Accordingly, an analysis was made of hemodynamic data obtained by cardiac catheterization and standard chest roentgenograms in nine markedly obese patients before and after weight loss of 39 to 84 kg (24 to 55% of control weight) over periods of 4 to 34 months. In each case body oxygen uptake (360 to 297 ml/min), blood volume (7.8 to 6.1 liters), cardiac output (7.9 to 6.2 liters/min), and arteriovenous oxygen difference (4.6 to 4.0 vol. %)