About this Research Topic

Background

Increasing evidence have suggested that a compromised myocardial energetics is implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease including ischemic cardiomyopathy, left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure, and a reduced capability of the heart to utilize the energy produced by oxidative metabolism for the contraction is an independent risk factor for hard cardiovascular outcomes. Interestingly, a decreased cardiac mechano-energetic efficiency has been described in several conditions known to be independently associated to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, thus suggesting the role of an altered cardiac energetic performance in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular events associated to insulin resistance related disorders.

Given the increasing diffusion worldwide of cardiovascular diseases and the associated cardiometabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases there is an urgent need to better understand the pathophysiology of cardiac damage in order to identify novel pathogenic factor and potential therapeutic targets.

The purpose of this Research Topic is, therefore, to collect contributions evaluating the role of an altered myocardial energetic efficiency in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and exploring the mechanisms affecting cardiac mechano-energetic performance. Furthermore, we are interested in publications focused on pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches targeting cardiac energetic metabolism, which can improve cardiac mechano-energetic efficiency, thus counteracting cardiovascular disease progression.

We welcome the submission of all type of manuscripts including original research papers, short communications, reviews and meta-analyses on the following potential sub-topics, including but not limited to:
• Association between a compromised cardiac mechano-energetic efficiency and cardiometabolic disorders
• Pathophysiological mechanisms leading to cardiac energetic dysfunction
• Exploring the mechanisms by which a compromised cardiac mechano-energetic performance contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases
• Role of exercise and diet in promoting cardiac mechano-energetic efficiency
• Identifying pharmacological approaches targeting cardiac energetic efficiency

Keywords: cardiac energetics, mechano-energetic efficiency, cardiovascular disease, cardiac metabolism, insulin resistance

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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