Editorial [Hot topic: Current Topics on Hypolipidaemic Therapy and Cardiovascular Risk Assessment (Guest Editors: Evangelos C. Rizos and Moses S. Elisaf)]

摘要

Atherosclerotic vascular disease remains an enormous public health problem. Cardiovascular risk assessment and hypolipidaemic therapy were greatly advanced during the last 15 years. In fact, hypolipidaemic drugs are consistently among the top ten best-seller drugs worldwide. Although the progress in this field is enormous, there are topics still unresolved. Distinguished authors in the field were invited to give their perspective on current controversies in this supplemental issue of the Current Vascular Pharmacology journal.nnBiomarkers of kidney function include serum creatinine and more recently estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). These biomarkers and microalbuminuria predict the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) [1]. Recent analyses indicate that eGFR is a much stronger predictor of CVD than is microalbuminuria. While microalbuminuria indicates endothelial dysfunction and is associated with increased risk for CV events, its level is related more to the level of blood pressure and glycemic control than directly to the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Hence, microalbuminuria could be viewed as a biomarker but not as a risk factor for CVD, since risk factors must be an integral part of the disease pathophysiology. Conversely, while microalbuminuria is not of prognostic value to predict chronic kidney disease (CKD) outcomes, increases over time into the albuminuria range clearly indicate presence of kidney disease and are associated with a more rapid decline in kidney function. Kalaitzidis et al. proposes the concomitant evaluation of both biomarkers eGFR and albuminuria to assess kidney function and CVD risk thoroughly.