Advances in Cardiometabolic Diseases

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 475

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
2. Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Interests: lipid disorders; lipoprotein(a); familial hypercholesterolemia; cardiometabolic diseases; atherosclerosis; obesity; diabetes; cardiovascular prevention; inflammation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cardiometabolic diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite substantial advances in lipid-lowering, glucose-lowering, and anti-obesity therapies, a significant burden of residual cardiovascular risk persists. This ongoing challenge underscores the need for a more integrated, mechanistically informed, and precision-based approach that extends beyond traditional single-risk-factor management.

This Special Issue aims to explore the full spectrum of cardiometabolic research—from fundamental biological mechanisms to translational and clinical implementation—within a unified cardiovascular prevention framework. We particularly welcome contributions that bridge molecular pathways, experimental models, biomarker discovery, and therapeutic innovation with real-world clinical applications.

Advances in lipidology, metabolic biology, inflammation research, and genetic epidemiology are reshaping our understanding of cardiometabolic disease pathophysiology. Emerging pharmacotherapies—including GLP-1 receptor agonists, dual and triple incretin agents, PCSK9 inhibitors, CETP inhibitors, APOC-III and ANGPTL3 inhibitors, and novel Lp(a)-lowering therapies—are transforming therapeutic strategies. Concurrently, novel biomarkers such as ApoB, remnant cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), inflammatory mediators, multi-omics profiling, and genetic risk scores are refining risk stratification and enabling precision therapeutic targeting.

However, critical questions remain regarding:

  • Molecular mechanisms driving residual cardiovascular risk;
  • Integration of lipid, metabolic, inflammatory, and genetic pathways;
  • Optimal patient selection and treatment sequencing;
  • Combining therapeutic strategies;
  • Long-term safety and biological durability;
  • Translation from experimental models to clinical practice;
  • Implementation in real-world settings.

This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, mechanistic and translational studies, experimental investigations, real-world analyses, epidemiological studies, and authoritative reviews that will advance our understanding of integrated cardiometabolic biology and precision cardiovascular prevention.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Dr. Fotios Barkas
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • cardiometabolic risk
  • lipoprotein(a)
  • residual cardiovascular risk
  • ApoB
  • LDL cholesterol
  • Obesity therapeutics
  • GLP-1 receptor agonists
  • precision medicine
  • inflammation
  • familial hypercholesterolemia
  • cardiovascular prevention

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

30 pages, 934 KB  
Review
Cardiometabolic 2.0: Redefining Cardiovascular Prevention Through SGLT-2 Inhibitors and GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
by Maria-Daniela Tanasescu, Andrei-Mihnea Rosu, Alexandru Minca, Maria-Mihaela Grigorie, Delia Timofte and Dorin Ionescu
Life 2026, 16(5), 756; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16050756 (registering DOI) - 1 May 2026
Viewed by 249
Abstract
Cardiometabolic disease is increasingly shaped by the overlap among obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, underscoring the need for prevention strategies that extend beyond glucose-centered care. This narrative review critically examines the mechanistic rationale, clinical evidence, [...] Read more.
Cardiometabolic disease is increasingly shaped by the overlap among obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, underscoring the need for prevention strategies that extend beyond glucose-centered care. This narrative review critically examines the mechanistic rationale, clinical evidence, guideline evolution, and practical implementation of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2 inhibitors) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 receptor agonists) within the cardiorenal–metabolic continuum. A structured literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, focusing primarily on publications from January 2019 to March 2026, with selected landmark studies from earlier years included for context. Priority was given to randomized controlled trials, major cardiovascular and kidney outcome trials, meta-analyses, clinical practice guidelines, scientific statements, and expert consensus documents. The reviewed evidence indicates that SGLT-2 inhibitors show the most consistent benefits in reducing heart failure events, slowing chronic kidney disease progression, and lowering cardiorenal risk, whereas GLP-1 receptor agonists are more strongly associated with reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events, residual atherosclerotic risk, and body weight. Emerging data also support extension of this therapeutic paradigm beyond diabetes, particularly in obesity-associated cardiovascular risk. Contemporary care is increasingly moving toward phenotype-informed treatment selection, earlier organ-protective intervention, and multidisciplinary management, although cost, access, tolerability, and implementation barriers remain important limitations. SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists are therefore central to modern cardiovascular prevention across the cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic spectrum. In this context, the proposed Cardiometabolic 2.0 framework may serve as a clinically oriented model for integrating these therapies within contemporary organ-protective care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cardiometabolic Diseases)
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