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Targeting Inflammation: Impact on Atherothrombosis

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Abstract

Atherothrombosis is a worldwide epidemic accounting for an unacceptable toll of deaths and disabilities. Its pathophysiology is complex and hardly referable to a specific mechanism; however, in the last 20 years, a growing amount of evidence has demonstrated that inflammatory processes play a major role from the very beginning to the ultimate complication of atherothrombosis. These evidences are addressing a growing interest toward anti-inflammatory agents as preventive or curative treatments of atherothrombosis. At present, accumulated data are not conclusive, but strong evidence exists in favor of an anti-inflammatory positive effect for several drugs as statins or renin–angiotensin inhibitors. More conclusive data are expected from ongoing trials directly exploring the role of specific cytokines antagonists.

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Acknowledgments

This manuscript has been supported by grant 70201077/2013 from the Catholic University of Rome.

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  1. Institute of Cardiology, Catholic University, Largo Vito, Rome, 00168, Italy

    Maria Giulia Marini, Chiara Sonnino, Marco Previtero & Luigi M. Biasucci

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  1. Maria Giulia Marini
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  2. Chiara Sonnino
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  4. Luigi M. Biasucci
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Correspondence to Luigi M. Biasucci.

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Associate Editor Emanuele Barbato oversaw the review of this article

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Marini, M.G., Sonnino, C., Previtero, M. et al. Targeting Inflammation: Impact on Atherothrombosis. J. of Cardiovasc. Trans. Res. 7, 9–18 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12265-013-9523-7

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