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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Vijay KunadianORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© The Author(s) 2026. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. Conventional risk factors do not completely explain the burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in women. Obesity and chronic low-grade inflammation are recognized as important contributors to atherosclerotic risk. This viewpoint explains the role of obesity-driven inflammation in the development and management of atherosclerosis in women. Abdominal obesity promotes a proinflammatory and prothrombotic environment that accelerates atherogenesis. Women with higher inflammatory biomarker levels and experience sex-specific risk-modifying stages, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, pregnancy-related conditions, and menopause, have higher risk for cardiovascular events, including atherosclerosis. We review evidence for antiobesity and anti-inflammatory therapies. Integrating obesity and inflammation into ASCVD care in women requires targeted screening, risk assessment, and sex-stratified research approaches. This viewpoint highlights the relation between obesity and atherosclerosis.
Author(s): Alasnag M, Sambola A, Uchmanowicz I, Kaluzna M, Sabouret PF, Serrano L, Paradies V, Parapid B, Banerjee S, Bachelot A, Gilard M, Hawranek M, Kunadian V, Chieffo A, Mehran R, Silberman SM
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: European Heart Journal Open
Year: 2026
Volume: 6
Issue: 2
Online publication date: 27/04/2026
Acceptance date: 17/02/2026
ISSN (electronic): 2752-4191
Publisher: Oxford University Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjopen/oeag055
DOI: 10.1093/ehjopen/oeag055
