The Endocannabinoid System: A Promising Novel Mechanistic Pathway in the Cardiometabolic Syndrome

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a neuroendocrine system that modulates several cardiometabolic processes. An overactive ECS is implicated as a significant contributor to the cardiometabolic syndrome and obesity, in addition to a large number of other physiologic processes. Endocannabinoid receptors have been detected centrally and peripherally, regulating appetite, food intake, metabolism, and storage. ECS blockade is thought to be a promising new pharmacologic modality of improving the unfavorable metabolic risk profile in patients with the cardiometabolic syndrome and obesity.