Cardiovascular disease review series

Cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death worldwide. Impaired endothelial function followed by inflammation of the vessel wall leads to atherosclerotic lesion formation that causes myocardial infarction and stroke. The increase of major risk factors such as obesity and diabetes in industrialized but also developing countries further increases the burden of vascular disease. Heart failure can occur as consequence of large myocardial infarctions or can be caused by genetic predisposition or infectious disease. In its more severe stages, heart failure patients have a life expectancy that is similar to aggressive cancers. Due to the rising age of the population, the incidence of heart failure is further increasing. Thus, the increase in risk factor load by metabolic diseases and age augments the incidence for vascular …