Circulating microRNA in cardiovascular disease

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF) are two major causes of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Early diagnosis of these conditions is essential to instigate immediate treatment that may result in improved outcomes. Traditional biomarkers of AMI include cardiac troponins and other proteins released from the injured myocardium but there are a number of limitations with these biomarkers especially with regard to specificity. In the past few years circulating nucleic acids, notably microRNA that are small non-coding RNAs that regulate various cellular processes, have been investigated as biomarkers of disease offering improved sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis and prognostication of various conditions. In this review, the role of microRNAs as biomarkers used in the diagnosis of AMI and HF is discussed, their advantage over traditional biomarkers is outlined and the potential for their implementation in clinical practice is critically assessed.