Cardiovascular Diseases & Salt Metabolism

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases of the heart and blood vessels including atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, stroke, and cardiomyopathies. CVDs are the number one cause of death globally. The exact cause of CVD isn't clear, the most important risk factors are hypertension, smoking, diabetes, obesity, and family history of CVD.
The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System (RAAS) regulates blood pressure and water and salt balance. Impaired RAAS can result in hypertension, the number one risk factor for CVDs.
In the last decade, significant advancements in CVD cure have been made. This advance is based on improved CVD patient treatment and supported by the use of early diagnosis and predictive cardiac markers, such as Troponin, HFABP, and GDF-15.