Epidemiological studies in humans carrying an inactivating mutation in ALDH2, combined with genetic and pharmacological studies in animal models, have implicated ALDH2 in the development and prognosis of coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and stroke, and suggest ALDH2 as an important target for generating new treatments for heart diseases [24]. The gene discussed is ALDH2; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.