The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is associated with unusual changes in the
human gut microbiota, most commonly coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, hypertension,
and heart failure. Immune mechanisms maintain a dynamic balance between the gut microbiota
and the host immune system. When one side changes and the balance is disrupted, different
degrees of damage are inflicted on the host and a diseased state gradually develops
over time. This review summarizes the immune mechanism of the gut microbiota and its
metabolites in the occurrence of common CVDs, discusses the relationship between gut-heart
axis dysfunction and the progression of CVD, and lists the currently effective methods
of regulating the gut microbiota for the treatment of CVDs.
