Glucocorticoids are active players and therapeutic targets in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

High salt intake activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, amplifies the stress response, and alters tissue glucocorticoid exposure in mice

“…Sustained glucocorticoid excess causes multi-morbidity and poor cardiovascular outcomes 24, 25 . The major finding of our study is that sustained high dietary salt intake in mice induced multiple abnormalities in glucocorticoid biology.…”

Coronary Artery Disease in Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: a Review

“…However, treatment regimens featuring glucocorticoids for extended periods of time are associated with undesirable side effects including psychiatric disorders, osteoporosis and metabolic disturbance leading to diabetes, dyslipidaemia and hypertension [86]. This prompts the assumption that prolonged glucocorticoid therapy may contribute towards atherogenesis and overshadow advantageous anti-inflammatory properties to some extent [87][88][89]. Prolonged maintenance therapy and is also associated with significantly increased risk of infections including urinary tract infections, pneumonia and sepsis [90,91].…”

Inflammaging as a link between autoimmunity and cardiovascular disease: the case of rheumatoid arthritis

“…61 In fact, disturbances in plasma cortisol levels predispose to the development of a variety of pathologies with atherosclerotic CVD being a top killer in patients suffering from primary adrenal insufficiency or Cushing's syndrome/disease. 62 Next to glucocorticoids, conventional DMARDs have been used in clinical practice for a long time, and there is information available regarding their cardiovascular profile. With respect to methotrexate, the most widely used synthetic conventional DMARD, there are metaanalyses that show that its use reduces cardiovascular risk by between 21% and 28%.…”