Atherosclerosis is a common cardiovascular disease, which is the most important pathological basis of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In recent years, the incidence and mortality of atherosclerosis has increased significantly, which has become an urgent problem to be solved. Salusins is a new vasoactive peptide which plays an important role in the formation of atherosclerosis. A large number of studies have shown that salusins is highly expressed in atherosclerotic plaques, which plays an important role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis and becomes a new therapeutic target. In this paper, the latest research progress in this field was reviewed, and the research status of atherosclerosis and salusins both domestic and overseas was discussed.