This volume is devoted to atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes, three of the most important disease conditions in the world today. Nutritional intervention, cholesterol lowering agents, lipids themselves, particularly oxidized LDL, protein modification by ADP-ribose, bone marrow study, endothelial cell dysfunction, angiotensin, and the role of infection and inflammation are all discussed in the context of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The hypertension section focuses on factors that may be responsible for high blood pressure, such as genetic predisposition, vascular hyperplasia and remodeling, insulin resistance, neurological aspects such as hypothalamic peptides. Also discussed are the possible contributions of the cellular function of the endothelium, nutrition, kidney dysfunction, leptin, and the brain. Novel routes of drug delivery for treatment of hypertension is also a focus.
As for diabetes, the risk factors and mechanisms responsible for diabetic vascular and cardiac dysfunction are discussed. Lipid profile changes and fibrinolysis in diabetic patients is detailed, along with adipogenesis, diabetic cardiomyopathy, energy metabolism in the diabetic heart, vanadate as an alternative to insulin, insulin resistance mechanisms, and neurotransmitters as targets for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
These manuscripts were invited from scientists who presented state of the art lectures at the XVII World Congress of the International Society for Heart Research held in Winnipeg in July 2001.
