Myocardial metabolism and cardiac performance in obesity and insulin resistance.

Obesity, insulin resistance, and their frequent complication of type 2 diabetes are risk factors for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, systolic dysfunction, and clinical heart failure. Although obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes are risk factors for coronary artery disease, and hence ischemic cardiomyopathy-related heart failure, there is increasing evidence that these three risk factors are implicated in the development of cardiac dysfunction not related to epicardial coronary disease. There are several mechanisms by which this triad may cause cardiac dysfunction, including alterations in myocardial metabolism, which may initially be adaptations but evolve into maladaptive responses over time. Recent advances in our understanding of these mechanisms will aid in the development of novel therapies, including metabolic manipulations that could prevent and treat cardiac dysfunction in patients with obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.