Questions
Despite advancements in prevention and treatment, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Residual cardiovascular risk persists in secondary prevention, where optimal management of traditional factors like low-density lipoprotein cholesterol still leaves patients vulnerable. This residual risk is driven by genetic predispositions, inflammation, and lifestyle factors. Understanding these is equally crucial in primary prevention, where early identification and intervention can reduce long-term cardiovascular burden.
Objectives
1. Identify residual cardiovascular risk factors beyond traditional metrics, including genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and proteomic biomarkers.
2. Assess the predictive value of advanced omics data (e.g., proteomics) and imaging phenotypes for cardiovascular risk stratification.
3. Examine the role of emerging risk factors in primary and secondary prevention to guide early prevention and clinical application.
4. Develop integrative risk models combining genetic, proteomic, environmental, and lifestyle data for personalized prevention strategies.
Scientific Rationale
The UK Biobank offers a unique platform for investigating cardiovascular risk, with longitudinal data on genomics, proteomics, imaging phenotypes, and lifestyle metrics. These resources enable integrative analyses to uncover novel risk factors, elucidate mechanisms, and improve prediction models.
Proteomics identifies biomarkers linked to inflammation, fibrosis, and metabolic dysregulation, while imaging captures cardiovascular structural and functional changes. Together with genetic predispositions and lifestyle factors, these data comprehensively explore residual cardiovascular risk in primary and secondary prevention. Leveraging this multidimensional dataset, the study aims to refine prevention strategies, identify at-risk individuals earlier, and improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes.