Autophagy, a form of lysosomal degradation capable of eliminating dysfunctional 
proteins and organelles, is a cellular process associated with homeostasis. 
Autophagy functions in cell survival by breaking down proteins and organelles 
and recycling them to meet metabolic demands. However, aberrant up regulation of 
autophagy can function as an alternative to apoptosis. The duality of autophagy, 
and its regulation over cell survival/death, intimately links it with human 
disease. Non-coding RNAs regulate mRNA levels and elicit diverse effects on 
mammalian protein expression. The most studied non-coding RNAs to-date are 
microRNAs (miRNA). MicroRNAs function in post-transcriptional regulation, 
causing profound changes in protein levels, and affect many biological processes 
and diseases. The role and regulation of autophagy, whether it is beneficial or 
harmful, is a controversial topic in cardiovascular disease. A number of recent 
studies have identified miRNAs that target autophagy-related proteins and 
influence the development, progression, or treatment of cardiovascular disease. 
Understanding the mechanisms by which these miRNAs work can provide promising 
insight and potential progress towards the development of therapeutic treatments 
in cardiovascular disease.