Novel cardiovascular metabolic risk factor mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

Metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidaemia are major drivers of cardiovascular risk and have reached epidemic levels in Western populations. Recent advances in clinical research have uncovered unexpected and often beneficial effects of pharmacological classes of metabolic drugs on cardiovascular outcomes, revealing complex interactions between metabolism and cardiac pathology. Despite their clinical efficacy, the molecular and cellular mechanisms through which many of these agents act remain only partially understood. This gap in knowledge underscores the urgent need for fundamental research that not only dissects the biology of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease but also reveals the mechanistic basis of existing and emerging therapies, thereby enabling rational therapeutic development. This scientific statement, developed by researchers from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Council on Basic Cardiovascular Science and several ESC Working Groups, provides a state-of-the-art overview of the emerging molecular and cellular pathways linking metabolic abnormalities with vascular and cardiac disease. By illuminating these critical connections and unresolved questions, this article aims to catalyse innovation in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease in the context of metabolic dysfunction and to suggest new directions for future research.

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Publication Details

Journal
European Heart Journal
Published
2026-02-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehag116
Primary Topic
Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Novel cardiovascular metabolic risk factor mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

Christian Weber, Cinzia Perrino, Jürgen Gindlhuber, M. Bäck et al.
European Heart Journal
Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology
article

Novel cardiovascular metabolic risk factor mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

Christian Weber, Cinzia Perrino, Jürgen Gindlhuber, M. Bäck, L. Bertrand, Dunja Aksentijević, Petra Kleinbongard, Wolfgang A. Linke, Esther Lutgens, Donato Santovito, J W Wojta, Harald Sourij, Elena Osto, C A Remme, Sean M. Davidson, G Danilo Norata, Gemma Vilahur, Paul C Evans, Dana Dawson, Rosalinda Madonna
article en

Abstract

Metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidaemia are major drivers of cardiovascular risk and have reached epidemic levels in Western populations. Recent advances in clinical research have uncovered unexpected and often beneficial effects of pharmacological classes of metabolic drugs on cardiovascular outcomes, revealing complex interactions between metabolism and cardiac pathology. Despite their clinical efficacy, the molecular and cellular mechanisms through which many of these agents act remain only partially understood. This gap in knowledge underscores the urgent need for fundamental research that not only dissects the biology of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease but also reveals the mechanistic basis of existing and emerging therapies, thereby enabling rational therapeutic development. This scientific statement, developed by researchers from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Council on Basic Cardiovascular Science and several ESC Working Groups, provides a state-of-the-art overview of the emerging molecular and cellular pathways linking metabolic abnormalities with vascular and cardiac disease. By illuminating these critical connections and unresolved questions, this article aims to catalyse innovation in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease in the context of metabolic dysfunction and to suggest new directions for future research.

European Heart Journal
University of Pisa (IT), Mayo Clinic (US), Karolinska University Hospital (SE), Queen Mary University of London (GB), University of Milan (IT), University of Aberdeen (GB), Medical University of Graz (AT), University of Zurich (CH), University of Münster (DE), Cardiovascular Institute of the South (US), Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL), Karolinska Institutet (SE), Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (NL), Amsterdam Neuroscience (NL), Federico II University Hospital (IT), Mayo Clinic in Arizona (US), German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DE), Biomedical Research Institute (US), William Harvey Research Institute (GB), Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Cancer Research (AT), West German Heart and Vascular Center Essen (DE), Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Prevention (AT), University College London (GB), FH Münster University of Applied Sciences (DE), Medical University of Vienna (AT), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE), University of Amsterdam (NL), Université de Lorraine (FR), UCLouvain (BE)
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Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology
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