Spotlight on Cardiovascular Physiology and Related Diseases: Impact of Sex Differences

Dear Colleagues,

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Their timely diagnosis and effective treatment require a detailed understanding of the physiological mechanisms maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. A central pathophysiological driver of CVD is impaired vascular function, characterized by endothelial dysfunction and inflammation associated with increased oxidative stress and metabolic disturbances. One of the earliest hallmarks of disease is microcirculatory dysfunction that can lead to multiorgan impairment, underscoring the importance of elucidating its underlying (patho)physiology. Thus, early detection of (micro)vascular dysfunction, even before clinical symptoms appear, might delay disease progression and enable better therapeutic strategies. In this context, innovative signal-processing algorithms offer promising tools for identifying subtle vascular alterations that precede overt disease. Nevertheless, the search for reliable biomarkers of cardiovascular system dysfunction remains challenging, and significant knowledge gaps persist despite major advances in our understanding of cardiovascular (patho)physiology. Sex and age are well-established determinants of cardiovascular health, yet the precise mechanisms underlying sex-specific differences remain incompletely defined. Against this background, this Special Issue aims to bring together a collection of studies highlighting current knowledge and ongoing challenges associated with CVD (patho)physiology with emphasis on sex differences in cardiovascular physiology and related disorders. We welcome original research and review articles, including preclinical and clinical studies conducted in humans, animal models, and other experimental systems.

Dr. Helena Lenasi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.