Recent Advances in Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardial ischemia, heart failure, and systemic and pulmonary arterial hypertension.^,

Oxidative stress is characterized by an imbalance between free radical production and antioxidant defenses. Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron, making them highly reactive and capable of causing cellular damage. The most common free radicals are reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). ROS include superoxide, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide, whereas RNS comprise nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, and nitrogen dioxide. Free radicals can be produced in various cellular compartments, such as the cytoplasm, cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and peroxisomes, mainly resulting from enzymatic reactions.

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