Which condition is listed as a leading cause of death among obese patients?

• A. Stroke
• B. Alzheimer's disease
• C. Hepatic failure
• D. Ischemic heart disease

Answer: (D)

Obesity ramps up several heart-related risk factors—high blood pressure, abnormal blood lipids, and insulin resistance—that together accelerate atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries. When these arteries narrow, the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen, leading to ischemic heart disease and heart attacks, which explains why this is the most common fatal outcome in people with obesity. Stroke is also a serious risk tied to vascular disease, but the overall death toll from ischemic heart disease tends to be higher in this group. Hepatic failure from fatty liver disease and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease are important health concerns in obesity, but they do not typically reach the same level of mortality impact as ischemic heart disease.