Microbiota and the Cardiovascular System

Cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis, heart failure, and stroke are leading causes of morbimortality in the current developed and developing societies. Alterations in gut microbiota have been suggested at least as potential co-inducers of cardiovascular diseases in host. The presence or growing of specific bacteria and of its related activities or derived metabolites (i.e., trimethylamine, short-chain fatty acids, vitamins, bile acids, ammonia, uremic toxins) have been linked with cardiovascular risk factors such as inflammation, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, obesity, and insulin resistance, among others. Interestingly, most of these factors and associated comorbidities (i.e., diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease) can also influence the microbiota balance in the gut, leading to a positive feedback loop that may worsen evolution in these patients. However, administration of specific strains of bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia) as probiotics has pointed to beneficial outcomes in animal models and humans with cardiovascular disorders. These approaches, together with balanced diets and/or prebiotics supplementation, might be considered as adjutant strategies for future personalized therapies. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to elucidate the actions of specific strains and its right dosage and duration of administration as well as their potential interaction with cardiovascular drugs in each patient.