Cardiovascular disease, which is multifactorial and can be influenced by a multitude of environmental and heritable risk factors, remains a major health problem, even though its pathophysiology is far from been elucidated. Discovered just over a decade ago, microRNAs comprise short, non-coding RNAs, which have evoked a great deal of interest, due to their importance for many aspects of homeostasis and disease. Hundreds of different microRNAs are constantly being reported in various organisms. According to a growing body of literature, they have been implicated in the regulation of human physiological processes. More specifically, miRNAs are expressed in the cardiovascular system and could have crucial roles in normal development and physiology, as well as in disease development. Furthermore, they have been shown to participate in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis including atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. In contrast to our original thought, miRNAs exist in circulating blood and are relatively stable, thus, they could be proved useful as biomarkers in that state. Understanding the underlying mechanisms, in which these major regulatory gene families are implicated, will provide novel opportunities for diagnosis and therapy of cardiovascular diseases.

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The morphological characteristics of the culprit atheromatic lesion in patients with STEMI are associated with coronary flow after thrombolysis. The lipid content, the existence of rupture, and mainly the thickness of the fibrous cap are associated with the outcome of thrombolysis.

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Arterial hypertension is an epidemic currently affecting almost a billion people worldwide. The consequences from high blood pressure vary, from peripheral arterial disease and chronic kidney failure to acute myocardial infarction and stroke. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules comprised of 22-26 nucleotides and provide posttranscriptional protein expression regulation. The many biological processes in which they are implicated, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, cell differentiation and morphogenesis confirms the functional significance of miRNAs. It has been found that miRNAs are expressed in cardiovascular disorders and seem to be important players in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension. The elucidation of which miRNAs are key players and at what level is of high value since it is necessary in order to better understand the mechanisms underlying hypertension, thus leading to better diagnostic modalities and therapeutic regimes.