Epicardial Fat and Arterial Stiffness
What the fat tissue surrounding the heart may tell us about cardiometabolic and vascular risk.
Physician-reviewed patient informationOverview
Epicardial adipose tissue lies between the heart muscle and the inner layer of the pericardium. In physiological amounts it has metabolic and protective functions, but greater thickness may be associated with inflammatory and cardiometabolic processes.
Research co-authored by Prof. Dr. Sinan Altan Kocaman examined epicardial fat alongside carotid intima-media thickness and plaque. The findings support an association with early markers of atherosclerosis, but do not make the measurement a stand-alone diagnostic test.
Traditional risk factors - blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, waist circumference and family history - remain central to individual cardiovascular risk assessment.