Cardiovascular disease still remains an epidemic, as it is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Perhaps the most important cause of cardiovascular disease is the interruption of blood flow to organs such as the heart and brain, resulting in the clinical presentation of a heart attack or stroke. As such, the regulation of vascular tone and the maintenance of vascular patency are vital for the preservation of cardiovascular health. Central to this process is the endothelium which releases factors such as nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, endothelial-dependent hyperpolarizing factor, and prostacyclin that induce vasodilatation and keep the vasculature free of obstructions in an effort to maintain vascular homeostasis. Therefore, it should be of no surprise that a number of the risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, smoking, ageing, and atherosclerosis, correlate with endothelial dysfunction.

The goal of this special issue of the International Journal of Vascular Medicine is to describe the latest findings and emerging challenges within the field of endothelial dysfunction, especially as it relates to cardiovascular disease. Therefore, we invite investigators to contribute an original research (basic science and clinical) or review article focused on the regulation and maintenance of vascular tone and patency in cardiovascular health and disease. We are particularly interested in articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand the molecular pathology of endothelial dysfunction in diseased states such as obesity and diabetes. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Emerging concepts of vascular regulation by hydrogen sulfide
• Treatment of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes
• New concepts on the regulation of vascular tone by nitric oxide and its metabolites
• Stimulation of angiogenesis in health and disease
• New developments in the treatment of atherosclerosis
• Emerging therapies for the control of hypertension
• Role of vascular inflammation in the pathology of endothelial dysfunction
• Role of lipid mediators in vascular inflammation
• Role of lipid mediators in angiogenesis
• Emergent role of tissue memory during the development of atherosclerosis