Early Prevention and Diagnosis of Atherosclerosis: From Clinical Progression to Patient Management

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the Journal of Clinical Medicine, “Early Prevention and Diagnosis of Atherosclerosis: From Clinical Progression to Patient Management”, will walk the readers across novel diagnostic achievements in early atherosclerosis and contemporary actions towards optimizing therapy against atherosclerosis progression.

We would like to focus on the molecular mechanisms of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, underscore genetic and clinical assessment of familial hyperlipidemia, elucidate diversities in atherogenic lipoproteins’ properties, including the heterogeneity of lipoprotein (a), the impact of the variability in glucose levels on vascular and cardiac impairment, and the search for new treatments.

Because everything begins with a diagnosis, a correct and timely diagnosis, optimally one that provides additional information on the cardiovascular risk, enables the introduction of prevention measures and the administration of a cure. Thus, accurate research and diagnostic tools and tests are of the utmost importance.

In the field of atherosclerosis, prevention is as important as treatment. Genetic regulatory mechanisms, a variety of lipoprotein fractions, variability of blood pressure values, and postprandial glucose levels might all trigger endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells to switch into the initiation of atherosclerosis.

The impact of daily physical activity and eating habits on the prophylaxis of many pathologies, including cardiovascular disease, has been documented. Nutraceutical products, smoking cessation, physical activity, and many others—they all have an impact on atherosclerosis retention.

Recently, we have entered an era of new pharmacological agents, including protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI), sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i, flozins), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues, and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors.

Many others are currently undergoing various stages of clinical trials, including microRNAs, small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules, antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), and novel therapeutic strategies targeting inflammatory pathways and anti-fibrotic mechanisms. Currently, we face a new and exciting journey with medications lowering lipoprotein (a) levels, the powerful driver of atherosclerosis progression. Sometimes, ongoing clinical trials might even precede molecular knowledge.

Our treatment goals of reduction in cardiovascular mortality and morbidity start with inhibition of atherosclerosis growth. A rising number of data support that cardiovascular risk prediction can be improved with imaging modalities displaying atheroma: carotid plaque ultrasonography, coronary calcium score, intravascular ultrasonography, optical coherent tomography, MRI, and PET.

As atherosclerosis is a progressive disease, eventually it comes to more radical management, including endovascular and surgical intervention. Both safety and procedure optimization guarantee a good outcome. There is a field for new stent and equipment technologies, new surgical and endovascular techniques, and supervision of endovascular procedures with IVUS, OCT, functional flow assessment, or cell therapy.

We welcome new original studies and review paper submissions covering the molecular and genetic basis of atherosclerosis, diagnosis and risk stratification, prevention models, and optimized medical and therapeutic intervention. 

We welcome the submission of original research and review articles on the following topics:

• Molecular triggers of atherosclerosis, including miRNAs, siRNAs, and many others;
• Elaborated research on the lipoproteins;
• Achieving goals in cardiovascular risk factor prevention and treatment;
• Cardiovascular risk stratification and algorithms;
• Imaging tools to control atherosclerosis reduction and progression;
• Medical treatment optimization;
• Interventional treatment for atherosclerotic disease in coronary and extracoronary territories.

Prof. Dr. Anna Kabłak-Ziembicka
Guest Editor

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• atherosclerosis
• atherothrombotic molecular pathways
• cardiovascular risk
• monitoring of goals
• pharmacological and non-pharmacological prevention
• carotid and peripheral interventions