Role of leptin and central nervous system melanocortins in obesity hypertension.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Obesity is a major worldwide health problem. Excess weight gain is the most significant, preventable, cause of increased blood pressure (BP) in patients with essential hypertension, and increases the risk for cardiovascular and renal diseases. Our goal is to review the mechanisms that link obesity with hypertension, with special emphasis on the role of leptin and the brain melanocortin system in driving sympathetic activation in obesity.