Atherosclerosis is recognized as one of the most important pathologies leading to acute cardiovascular events, and it is still one of the principal causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Elevated plasma cholesterol levels and apolipoprotein B-containing particles are causally associated with atherosclerosis development and cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Although a combination of cause-lowering therapies contributes to reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, patients with low LDL-C still present a residual CVD risk.
In recent years, pharmacological research has guided the development of ground-breaking techniques. For instance, anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies not only display potent cholesterol-lowering effects but also exert anti-atherosclerotic potential, even in very high-risk patients previously untreatable with classical therapies. However, many patients still experience a residual CVD risk, driven by additional pathological mechanisms of atherosclerosis, including other classes of lipoproteins, such as TG-rich lipoproteins and Lp(a), as well as immune-inflammatory players or gluco-metabolic mediators.
Further pharmacological advancements are needed to optimize the therapeutic chances for all patients who cannot be effectively treated with classical cholesterol-lowering drugs. Identifying alternative viable strategies to lessen the magnitude of exposure to CVD risk factors will help to minimize the occurrence of acute events and reduce the spread of CVD.
New biomarkers and therapeutic targets are promising. Among them, novel lipoprotein targets (genetically increased levels of Lp(a) or high levels of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins), impaired immune-inflammatory response and thrombosis, systemic gluco-metabolic players of ectopic visceral adiposity, as well as indicators of adverse environmental exposures (intestinal dysbiosis or epigenetic modifiers).
This Article Collection aims to solicit state-of-the-art reviews and original basic and clinical research, including but not limited to current therapeutic strategies, those under clinical advancement, and emerging targets that might affect the development of atherosclerosis and reduce CVD.
Annals of Medicine accepts the following types of articles:
- Research Article
- Clinical Study
- Study Characteristics
- Systematic Review
- Review Article
- Mini Review
- Case Series
When submitting your article, please select the section 'Pharmacology', and the Article Collection, 'Present and Future Therapeutic Opportunities for the Treatment of Cardiometabolic Disorders: Focus on Dyslipidemia and Atherosclerosis' from the drop-down menu on the submission system.
Annals of Medicine is an online, open-access, international journal publishing across all areas of medicine and is part of our Elevate Series. This means that you will receive a concierge-level publishing experience, including dedicated support from our expert in-house Editorial team, with guaranteed response times of within 48 hours, an initial decision on whether your article will be peer-reviewed within 5 working days, and a first decision on your research within an average of 22 working days.
