Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease

Joining us today to discuss Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease is Cornelia Weyand, M.D., Ph.D. professor of medicine and immunology and has an appointment in Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Specific topics discussed: • Should we classify and treat coronary artery disease as an inflammatory condition? • What are the drivers of the immune cells that accumulate in the atherosclerotic lesions? • Besides metabolic syndrome, are there other risk factors that predispose individuals to atherosclerotic disease? • During the COVID pandemic, individuals with cardiovascular disease were at particularly high risk for severe infection or death. What are the underlying mechanisms? • As we recognize atherosclerosis as an immune-mediated disease, what are the therapeutic implications?