title: Epicardial fat: a new cardiovascular therapeutic target.
abstract: Epicardial fat is the visceral fat depot of the heart. Given its rapid metabolism, organ fat specificity and simple objective measurability, epicardial fat can serve as target for pharmaceutical agents targeting the adipose tissue. Epicardial fat has shown to significantly respond to thiazolidinediones, glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and statins. Epicardial fat may represent a measurable risk factor and modifiable therapeutic target. Targeted pharmaceutical interventions may allow the epicardial fat to resume its physiological role. A drug-induced browning effect on epicardial fat suggests the development of pharmacological strategies to increase energy consumption. The potential of modulating the epicardial fat transcriptome with targeted pharmacological agents can open new avenues in the pharmacotherapy of cardio-metabolic diseases.
authors: Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address: giacobellis@med.miami.edu.
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Iacobellis
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D005223:Fats / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010496:Pericardium / Q000187:drug effects*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D005223:Fats