Inflammation and Immunity in Vascular Diseases

Research from the last 20 years has clearly demonstrated a key role for the immune system in the development of various cardiovascular diseases (CVD), with inflammation being shown as an important predictor of disease severity and outcome. However, the gap between research and clinical application remains large, with no therapeutics targeting immunoinflammatory responses routinely used in clinical practice. In this chapter we will briefly describe immune and inflammatory mechanisms in vascular disease, mainly in the context of atherosclerosis. We will discuss how immune cells and mediators drive CVD pathogenesis and affect clinical severity.