Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading health concern worldwide. It has become an absolute necessity to keep improving how we prevent, diagnose, and treat it. Despite significant advancements in treatment procedures, the rapid growth in CAD mortality persists. This chapter looks at how the understanding of CAD has changed over time and explores how precision medicine can help us create better treatment plans. By highlighting recent advancements, the aim is to understand how research progress can enhance patient outcomes and reduce the global burden of CAD. This chapter highlights emerging strategies aimed at improving CAD management. Novel diagnostic modalities, including advanced imaging techniques and biomarkers, are enhancing early disease detection and risk stratification. Therapeutic innovations, such as novel drug classes and targeted delivery systems, are expanding the treatment armamentarium. Interventional cardiology continues to evolve with minimally invasive procedures and improved stent technologies. Regenerative medicine holds promise for repairing damaged heart tissue, while precision medicine offers the potential for personalized treatment strategies. The convergence of these approaches is transforming CAD and cardiac health care, including artificial intelligence (AI) which is emerging to provide an unprecedented potential to transform healthcare. However, rigorous evaluation and equitable access to these advancements are essential. Overcoming challenges through multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial to optimizing patient outcomes and reducing the global burden of CAD.
The anterior pituitary gland, a diminutive yet physiologically pivotal endocrine organ, regulates various bodily functions in order to maintain the hormonal equilibrium within the body. It is situated at the base of the brain in the Sella turcica, originating embryologically from Rathke’s pouch, an ectodermal outgrowth of the oral cavity. Its six hormones are secreted by distinct cell clusters under the control of the hypothalamus. These hormones are often referred to as ‘tropins,’ which stimulate the synthesis and secretion of hormones released by other endocrine glands. Five distinct cell types have been identified in the anterior pituitary: corticotrophs, lactotrophs, thyrotrophs, gonadotrophs, and somatotrophs, responsible for secreting ACTH, PRL, TSH, LH/FSH, and GH, respectively. The secretion of tropic hormones is regulated by a dual-control mechanism involving negative feedback inhibition and positive stimulation by hypothalamic-releasing factors. Excessive release of these hormones can lead to a variety of disorders impacting growth, metabolism, reproductive processes, and physiology as a whole.
This chapter explores the intricate relationship between physical exercise and human longevity through the lens of physiological mechanisms. Longevity is influenced by a constellation of factors, among which regular physical activity stands out as a powerful, modifiable determinant. The chapter examines how exercise promotes healthy aging by inducing systemic and cellular adaptations that support physiological resilience and reduce the risk of chronic diseases commonly associated with aging, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. Key physiological responses to regular exercise such as enhanced mitochondrial function, improved cardiovascular and metabolic efficiency, reduced systemic inflammation, and upregulated antioxidant defences are discussed in detail. The role of exercise in maintaining homeostasis, preserving muscle mass and function (sarcopenia prevention), and supporting neuroplasticity and cognitive health is also highlighted. Furthermore, the chapter addresses the concept of health span the portion of life spent in good health as a critical component of longevity, emphasizing that exercise contributes not only to increased lifespan but also to improved quality of life in later years. By integrating current research and biological principles, this chapter provides a comprehensive overview of how regular physical activity serves as a cornerstone of strategies aimed at extending both lifespan and health span. It underscores the importance of exercise across the lifespan and offers insights into how early and sustained engagement in physical activity can influence aging trajectories at the molecular, systemic, and functional levels.
The pancreas plays a central role in glucose homeostasis through the coordinated secretion of hormones, primarily insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide. Insulin, secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans, is the principal anabolic hormone, promoting glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis, lipid storage, and protein synthesis, while inhibiting gluconeogenesis and lipolysis. Its release is tightly regulated by blood glucose levels, incretin hormones, autonomic input, and circulating nutrients. In contrast, glucagon, secreted by alpha cells, serves as a counter-regulatory hormone that raises blood glucose by stimulating hepatic glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis during fasting or hypoglycemia. Somatostatin, produced by delta cells, functions as a paracrine inhibitor, modulating the release of both insulin and glucagon, and regulating the secretion and motility of gastrointestinal hormones. Pancreatic polypeptide, secreted by PP cells (F cells), is involved in the regulation of exocrine pancreatic secretion and hepatic glycogen levels, and may influence appetite. The dynamic interplay of these hormones ensures metabolic balance under varying physiological conditions. Disruptions in this balance, such as in diabetes mellitus, result in significant metabolic derangements, underscoring the importance of pancreatic endocrine function. Understanding the physiology of insulin and other pancreatic hormones is critical for comprehending metabolic regulation and the pathogenesis of endocrine disorders. This abstract provides a concise overview of the cellular sources, regulatory mechanisms, and physiological roles of pancreatic hormones, highlighting their integrated function in maintaining glucose and energy homeostasis.
ISBN : 978-81-981855-7-0
