Front Cardiovasc Med. 2026 Jun 18;13:1806765. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2026.1806765. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
Patients with obesity-related coronary heart disease continue to experience substantial residual cardiovascular risk despite progress in secondary prevention. We propose that this risk originates from a self-perpetuating cycle between inflammation and metabolism-termed the inflammation-metabolism axis-which extends beyond conventional risk factors. This axis forms a complex pathological network that existing single-target therapies cannot adequately address, representing a core mechanism of persistent residual risk. Effective management therefore requires integrated strategies capable of systemically modulating this network. Herbal medicines, with their inherent multi-target properties and network-level activity, offer a dual opportunity: they act as both potential therapeutic agents and as scientific tools for validating this integrative paradigm. This perspective article outlines the inflammation-metabolism axis as a unifying framework and discusses the rationale and future directions for developing systemic herbal-based interventions to mitigate residual cardiovascular risk.
PMID:42395888 | PMC:PMC13322879 | DOI:10.3389/fcvm.2026.1806765