Telomere Length and Cardiovascular Disease: A Precursor Marker and Therapeutic Target

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last two decades, the scientific society has been investigating the role of biomarkers in the early detection of atherosclerotic disease. However, even with access to the most advanced technology and most recently available secondary prevention therapies, the burden of recurrent events following acute coronary syndromes remains high, ranging from 10% to 20% in the first 12 months. Currently, the investigation of telomeres as a potential tool for the early detection of atherosclerotic disease seems to be a promising method. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the extremities of chromosomes that maintain genetic stability. Telomere length (TL) has been associated with several human disorders and diseases while its attrition rate varies significantly in the population. Therapy targeting telomere length also changed the way that medicine uses the therapeutic arsenal in several conditions, including cardiovascular diseases.

In this Special Issue, we aim to investigating how TL shortening serves as a precursor marker and a potential therapeutic target in cardiovascular disorders, and explore the current and future treatment options based on TL, new advances in pharmacological uses and the relationship between telomere research/biomarker research and drugs. We invite researchers to contribute their expertise and insights in uncovering the multifaceted aspects of TL in cardiovascular health for this comprehensive exploration.

Dr. Marios Sagris
Prof. Dr. Dimitris Tousoulis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• telomere length
• DNA
• chromosomes
• cardiovascular disease
• atherosclerosis
• coronary artery disease
• valvular disease
• heart failure
• arrhythmias
• peripheral artery disease