Abstract
The prevalence of obesity continues to rise worldwide and presents a challenge to all health-care providers. Obesity has pathophysiological effects upon all major systems of the body. Obesity has been linked to an increased risk for many health disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and certain cancers. There are changes with basic lung volumes and an increase in incidence of asthma and obstructive sleep apnea for individuals with high body mass index. This article is a review of the cardiovascular and pulmonary physiologic effects of obesity and discusses key components of the evaluation and treatment options that the rehabilitation clinician should consider when delivering care to this patient population.
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