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It is widely known that heart disease is the number one killer of people the world over, and physicians around the globe are educating their patients about the risks of cardiovascular disease and what can be done to prevent it.

While some risk factors, such as quitting smoking and adopting a health lifestyle, can be changed, others such as Obesity, often caused by genetic factors, is a medical condition that must be treated with medical advice and/or intervention.

Extra weight greatly increases an individual’s risk for heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack.

Some reasons for this higher risk are known, but others are not.

According to the American Heart Association, obesity raises blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowers HDL, known as "good" cholesterol.

HDL cholesterol is linked with lower heart disease and stroke risk, so reducing it tends to raise the risk.

Obesity also raises blood pressure levels and can induce diabetes.

In some people diabetes makes these other risk factors much worse.

The danger of a heart attack is especially high for these people.

“Obesity is a huge risk for cardiovascular disease in susceptible individuals,” said Laurence Tanaka, M.D., surgeon at Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group and Scripps Mercy Hospital.

“We are so fortunate to be able ...