For many decades, obesity has been one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Despite medical advances, the obesity increases contribution to morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Numerous anthropometric criteria for obesity are well-studied, simple and inexpensive tools for diagnosing overweight in the population. However, their accuracy is comparatively low. In particular, it is impossible to determine body composition based on these criteria, which is a key point in cardiovascular risk stratification. Despite the relatively short period of ultrasound practice for obesity diagnosis, convincing evidence has already been obtained of their high accuracy and effectiveness in predicting the risk of cardiovascular disease. Given the continuous improvement of ultrasound equipment, the studied criteria should be implemented in routine clinical and research practice. This literature review describes the central parameters used in the ultrasound diagnosis of obesity, their contribution to both conventional risk factors and cardiovascular diseases itself.

The aim of the research. To evaluate the features of ultrasound markers of adipose tissue in individuals with coronary artery disease, to identify a relationship with the presence of carotid artery stenosis. Material and methods. Th e study included 125 coronary artery disease patients hospitalised in the emergency cardiology department (41.6% females, 58.4 % males). The mean age of the surveyed was 68 (61.0; 74.0) years. Results. According to the results of the study, it has been found that the risk of carotid artery stenosis is associated with increasing age and IAFT thickness (OR=1.02, 95 % CI: 1.0-1.04, p=0.035). Th e traditional obesity index (BMI) showed no statistically significant associations (OR=0.73, 95 % CI: 0.25-2.09, p=0.548). Apart from that, in individuals with normal body weight and carotid stenosis, IAFT values were higher compared to the group with normal body weight without stenosis (p=0.029). It has also been determined that the value of ultrasonic parameters of adipose tissue has age and gender diff erences. Thus, women have 1.5 times higher SATmin than men, while men have 1.4 times higher WFA as compared to women. With increasing age, a decrease in the thickness of the IAFT and PFT was observed. Conclusion. The data obtained dictate the need for further study of ultrasonic markers of adipose tissue in different gender, age and nosological groups in order to identify the most sensitive parameters.