The prevalence of diabetes has been increasing for several decades. By the year 2040, it is estimated that 642 million individuals will be affected by diabetes, thus representing a global epidemic challenge with a great socioeconomic burden. Diabetes is a major risk factor for the development of complications including nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pertinently, CVD is the leading cause of death in people living with diabetes, increasing risk 2-6-fold compared with healthy individuals.
Diabetes accelerates the development of numerous cardiovascular complications, including coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, carotid artery disease. In addition, diabetes can have a direct impact on the heart itself, a condition termed diabetic cardiomyopathy. Given this increased burden, there is a clear need to develop tools that will allow us to further understand these complex diseases. Importantly, advances will lead to tangible outcomes, improving diagnosis, allowing for earlier detection, and ultimately leading to the production of more effective treatment strategies.
In this Research Topic, our aim is to summarise the current understanding of cardiovascular complications of diabetes, highlighting novel and innovative research. We welcome studies on the following subtopics, but not limited to:
• Identification of novel mechanisms and signaling pathways that contribute to the development of CVDs associated with diabetes.
• Mechanistic studies that help to untangle the relative contribution of the pathophysiological processes which underpin the complex and multifactorial nature of cardiovascular complications in diabetes.
• Studies that highlight emerging therapeutic strategies in the treatment of diabetes-associated CVDs. Therapeutic strategies may include but are not limited to, small molecules, peptides, gene therapy, and natural products.
• Highlight novel preclinical models of diabetes-associated cardiovascular complications, in order to improve our understanding of disease processes. A particular focus will be on how well these models recapitulate specific aspects of human disease.
We welcome the following article types: Original Research, Systematic Review, Methods, Review, Minireview, and Brief Research Report. One can find more information about the Article Types available in the Translational Pharmacology section
here.
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The Topic Editor Dr. Murray has received research funding from GSK and AstraZeneca to investigate mechanisms of mitochondrial toxicity in the context of hypoxia. Dr. Murray has received research funding from MedImmune (AstraZeneca) to investigate the use of novel peptides on cardiac metabolism during ischemia/reperfusion injury. Dr. Murray has intellectual property describing the therapeutic use of ketone body esters for muscle fatigue and has received royalties on this work.
Other Topic Editors do not have any competing interests to declare.