Tuesday, July 17, 2007

DTMI/ DCRI researchers find that obese patients are slightly more likely to survive heart attack
by Kelly Winget, DCRI Communications

A July 9 story that ran in the New York Times highlights surprising research showing that obese people are more likely to survive a heart attack than patients of normal weight.

The DCRI’s Dr. Eric Eisenstein led a study in 2005 that examined approximately 16,000 people in 37 countries. Eisenstein and the team found that 2.2% of obese patients died within one year of a heart attack, while 4.3% of patients with weight considered normal by doctors died within a year of a heart attack.

“We don't have a good explanation for the biological phenomenon that's causing this,” said Eisenstein. “We need to understand scientifically what's happening in these folks before we can develop new therapies.”

The news has researchers debating why this happens. Some believe it is because thinner patients have a higher rate of smoking than obese patients. Others have suggested that obese patients can see more health improvements by making major lifestyle changes after a heart attack than patients at normal weight might experience.

Dr. Rob Califf, director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute, said the rate of survival between heavier and thinner patients “is not a big enough factor” to change how doctors treat patients. He said doctors should look at the magnitude of the heart attack and whether patients have kidney problems to get a better sense of the patient’s chances of survival.