title: Anti-inflammatory drugs and atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammation contributes to the formation and progression of atherosclerosis and the therapeutic potential of some anti-inflammatory drugs has been evaluated for possible antiatherosclerotic effects. This review will briefly describe the mechanisms underlying the inflammation-atherosclerosis connection, the effect of various anti-inflammatory therapies on atherosclerotic disease and a sampling of the potential targets and agents under evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some agents with anti-inflammatory properties appear to have beneficial effects on atherosclerosis or subsequent risk for cardiovascular events, while others have been disappointing. The anti-inflammatory actions of statins have been linked retrospectively with their favorable effects on atherosclerosis progression and clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular safety of COX-2 inhibitors is being assessed prospectively in patients with atherosclerosis. Potential new therapeutic agents targeting other inflammatory mechanisms and oxidative stress are being evaluated in animal models and clinical trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the contributory inflammatory pathways in atherosclerosis, the properties of existing and novel anti-inflammatory agents are being carefully and actively evaluated in cardiovascular disease. Advances in our understanding of both atherosclerosis and the inflammatory contributors may play an important role in future strategies to decrease the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute and Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sami P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Moubayed
authors.forename: Therese M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tardif
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D008074:Lipoproteins