Cardiometabolic disease management: influences from epigenetics

Epigenomics is a rapidly emerging field that has gathered significant attention as a "non-genetic determinant" implicated in the manifestation of non-communicable diseases. Exploring epigenetic modifications provides novel insights into the management of cardiometabolic disease (CMD). Epigenetics signatures are influenced by environmental stressors such as air pollution, toxins, and urban noises as well as by established cardiovascular risk factors including smoking, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and diabetes. Understanding how epigenetic alterations lead to CMD as well as inter-individual differences in epigenetic makeup could unveil new molecular targets and new epi-drugs to be employed for precision medicine approaches in the growing population of patients with cardiometabolic disease to reduce cardiovascular risk. Herein, we provide an overview of the latest advancements in epigenetic mechanisms implicated in CMD and possible therapeutic opportunities. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARYCardiometabolic diseases (CMD), like heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, are major health problems around the world. These conditions are becoming more common because of longer life spans and unhealthy lifestyle habits such as poor diet, smoking, and lack of exercise. These habits can affect the way our genes work, even without changing the DNA itself, through a mechanism called epige-netics. In this article, we explore the latest research on how epigenetics plays a role in CMD and how this evolving knowledge could help doctors prevent disease earlier and provide more personalized treatments in the future. [GRAPHICS] .