The metabolic syndrome is usually associated with insulin resistance and visceral fat distribution, which appear to play a direct role in the development of clinical criteria of metabolic syndrome, like elevation of arterial blood pressure and dyslipidemia. In this review, the authors will first introduce the concept, that insulin resistance and increased visceral adipose tissue are also regularly associated with an abnormal or ectopic accumulation of lipids in nonadipocytes, like steatosis hepatis. Then, they will provide some evidence that epicardial fat can be associated with insulin resistance in a similar fashion as visceral intraabdominal fat. Furthermore, epicardial fat might directly affect the vessels and function of the heart. Accordingly, ectopic accumulation of fat within cardiac muscle cells can impair their function and possibly be related to heart failure. These new relations between obesity, fat distribution and cardiac function might help to identify and treat individuals at risk earlier and more appropriately.
