Body mass index and waist circumference in patients with established coronary artery disease over a 20-year period.

There is strong evidence on the causal relationships between obesity and the leading causes of death [1]. The main causes of high mortality following myocardial infarction are insufficient control of risk factors, unsatisfactory lifestyle changes and not optimal pharmacotherapy [2, 3]. Guidelines recommend weight reduction in overweight and obese people in order to reduce blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the risk of type 2 diabetes as well as a reduction of the risk of cardiovascular events [4, 5]. The scientific evidence suggests that among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD