Pharmacological Interventions in Cardiovascular Disease
Summary
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, driven chiefly by atherosclerosis, hypertension and heart failure. Pharmacological management spans lipid-lowering agents such as statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors; antihypertensive classes including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-adrenoceptor blockers and calcium channel blockers; antiplatelet therapies designed to prevent thrombosis; and novel metabolic modulators such as sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. The principal goals are to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, stabilise or regress atherosclerotic plaques, optimise haemodynamic load and prevent ischaemia–reperfusion injury. Recent advances have focused on targeting residual inflammatory risk, refining patient stratification through biomarkers and imaging, and integrating combination regimens to achieve individualised care. Practical applications extend from primary prevention in at-risk populations to secondary prevention after myocardial infarction, with guideline-directed therapy reducing event rates across diverse healthcare settings. Emerging research highlights pathway-specific interventions, including modulation of nuclear receptors and cellular autophagy, offering fresh avenues to supplement established regimens and mitigate long-term complications.
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Pharmacological Interventions in Cardiovascular Disease publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in pharmacological interventions in cardiovascular disease across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Statins: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors that lower cholesterol synthesis and upregulate hepatic LDL receptors.
PCSK9 inhibitor: Monoclonal antibody that prevents degradation of LDL receptors, enhancing clearance of LDL cholesterol.
PPARγ: Nuclear receptor regulating lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis and inflammatory responses in cardiovascular tissues.
Autophagy: Intracellular process for degrading and recycling damaged organelles and proteins, contributing to cellular homeostasis.
Ischaemia–reperfusion injury: Tissue damage caused by restoration of blood flow after a period of oxygen deprivation, often involving oxidative stress and inflammation.
References
- Danlou Tablet Activates Autophagy of Vascular Adventitial Fibroblasts Through PI3K/Akt/mTOR to Protect Cells From Damage Caused by Atherosclerosis. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2021).
- PPARγ Mediates the Cardioprotective Roles of Danlou Tablet After Acute Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (2022).
- Efficacy and safety of Danlou tablets in traditional Chinese medicine for coronary heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (2023).
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