Preface [Hot Topic:Inflammatory Markers and Mediators: Emerging Therapeutic Targets in Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders (Guest Editor: Samuel Dagogo-Jack, MD)].

摘要

The present Hot Topic issue of Current Drug Targets focuses on inflammatory markers and mediators and discusses these in the context of pathophysiology, mechanisms, and management of the cardiovascular dysmetabolic syndrome. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes. The risk of first myocardial infarction (MI) in diabetes patients is similar to that of recurrent MI in nondiabetic persons who have had a previous MI. Thus, diabetes is not merely a risk factor for cardiovascular disease but a coronary artery disease (CAD) risk-equivalent [1-3]. Although the degree of glycemia (as assessed HbA1c) is an independent predictor of coronary risk [4], hyperglycemia is one of several major etiological factors for macrovascular complications. Thus, whereas a policy of intensive glucose control significantly prevents microvascular complications [5-7], a broader policy involving multiple risk factor reduction must be pursued in order to prevent the macrovascular complications of diabetes [8].