Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Defense, and Cardiovascular Risk in Obesity

Abstract

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of obesity and cardiovascular disease, being involved in endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, lipid peroxidation, and vascular injury. The balance between reactive oxygen species and endogenous antioxidant defense mechanisms may be influenced by several metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors. In obese patients, the assessment of oxidative status may provide relevant information regarding the relationship between increased body weight, antioxidant capacity, and oxidative damage. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase represent important enzymatic components of the antioxidant defense system, while malondialdehyde is commonly used as an indicator of lipid peroxidation. The evaluation of these biochemical parameters may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying oxidative imbalance in obesity and its association with cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and arterial hypertension. Monitoring oxidative-stress markers over time may also provide useful information regarding changes in antioxidant defense and lipid peroxidation in relation to clinical and metabolic status. The assessment of oxidative stress may therefore represent a valuable complementary approach in the evaluation of obese patients and in understanding the biological mechanisms associated with cardiovascular risk