Imaging and laboratory biomarkers in cardiovascular disease.
Imaging and laboratory biomarkers are an essential support to modern practice of medicine, allowing a better identification, severity titration, staging and follow-up of atherosclerosis and heart failure disease. This review provides an overview of imaging, biochemical and genetic biomarkers used in clinical practice and for research purposes in order to evaluate the 4 different aspect of patient vulnerability to cardiovascular disease: arterial; blood; myocardial; metabolic vulnerability. Yet, no single perfect biomarker exists and there is wide room for optimization and integration between clinical evaluation and biomarker evaluation. In general, a targeted approach tailored on the individual patient should be preferred to a carpet diagnostic bombing, which will lead to an exorbitant multiplier of costs, risks and inappropriate testing.
CNR, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy.
Maria Grazia
MG
Andreassi
Amalia
A
Gastaldelli
Aldo
A
Clerico
Piero A
PA
Salvadori
Rosa
R
Sicari
Eugenio
E
Picano
D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans
D015415:Biomarkers