EVALUATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE SUBJECTS

Twenty obese subjects (Males = 8, Females = 12; average age = 39.5 +/- 2.5 years; B.M.I. = 36.2 +/- 2.5), 20 overweight subjects (Males = 8, Females = 12; average age = 38.5 +/- 2 years; B.M.I. = 28.8 +/- 0.4) and 20 non obese healthy subjects as controls, matched for sex and age (Males = 8, Females = 12; average age = 37.5 +/- 2 years; B.M.I. = 22 .4 +/- 0.8) were selected. We determined: blood glucose, triglycerides , total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, Apolipoproteins A1 and B, Factor VII, fibrinogen and plasminogen. Before and after a venous occlusion test were also measured: t-PA Antigen, PAI activity and haematocrit. M etabolic, coagulative and fibrinolytic pathological changes were obser ved in overweight and obese subjects and the interaction of these risk factors may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis vascula r disease and to the high rate of thromboembolic events reported in ob esity.