Targeting Residual Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease: Beyond LDL Cholesterol Toward Precision Cardiometabolic Prevention
TL;DR
Current evidence supports a transition toward comprehensive cardiometabolic prevention integrating lipid management, lifestyle modification, metabolic optimization, and targeted anti-inflammatory therapy and future precision medicine strategies incorporating inflammatory biomarkers and individualized risk assessment may further improve cardiovascular outcomes and reduce the global burden of atherosclerotic disease.
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide despite substantial advances in lipid-lowering therapies. Although achieving recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets significantly reduces cardiovascular risk, many patients continue to experience recurrent cardiovascular events, a phenomenon known as residual cardiovascular risk. Increasing evidence indicates that chronic low-grade inflammation is a major contributor to this persistent risk. This review analyzes current scientific evidence regarding the biological mechanisms, inflammatory biomarkers, and emerging therapeutic strategies associated with residual inflammatory risk beyond LDL cholesterol. The literature demonstrates that activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the interleukin-1β/interleukin-6 pathway plays a central role in endothelial dysfunction, plaque progression, and atherosclerotic instability. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) remains the most widely validated biomarker for identifying persistent inflammatory activity in clinical practice. Landmark clinical trials, including CANTOS, COLCOT, and LoDoCo2, have demonstrated that selective anti-inflammatory therapies reduce recurrent cardiovascular events independently of additional LDL-C lowering, whereas nonspecific anti-inflammatory approaches have shown limited benefit. Furthermore, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and chronic kidney disease substantially amplify residual inflammatory risk through shared pathophysiological mechanisms. Current evidence supports a transition toward comprehensive cardiometabolic prevention integrating lipid management, lifestyle modification, metabolic optimization, and targeted anti-inflammatory therapy. Future precision medicine strategies incorporating inflammatory biomarkers and individualized risk assessment may further improve cardiovascular outcomes and reduce the global burden of atherosclerotic disease.