Atherosclerosis (AS) is a primary pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases, and ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death driven by lipid peroxidation, has gained increasing attention for its role in AS development. This study aims to evaluate the research status, hotspots, and trends in this field using bibliometric methods.

We retrieved 375 English-language articles from the Web of Science Core Collection (2016–2025). Bibliometric analyses were performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer to examine publication trends, country/institution collaborations, author contributions, keyword co-occurrence, and burst detection.

Publications increased exponentially, with notable growth post-2020. China and the United States led research output, with Harvard University and Fudan University as top institutions. Key contributors included Dixon SJ and Yang WS. Keyword clusters highlighted “lipid peroxidation,” “GPX4 regulation,” “inflammatory response,” and “nanodrug intervention.” Emerging terms like “exosome” and “gut microbiota” indicate new focuses on microenvironment and targeted therapies.

Ferroptosis research in atherosclerosis (AS) has undergone a significant evolution, transitioning from foundational mechanistic studies that elucidated the core pathways of lipid peroxidation and glutathione depletion to the current phase focused on clinical translation. This progression is increasingly propelled by high-throughput technologies, with future directions emphasizing the integration of multi-omics data—encompassing genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Such integration is pivotal for deciphering the complex regulatory networks of ferroptosis in vivo and for identifying novel biomarkers. Consequently, the field is moving towards the development of personalized interventions, aiming to stratify patients based on their unique ferroptotic susceptibility profiles. This comprehensive bibliometric analysis not only maps the knowledge structure and tracks evolving trends but also synthesizes a collaborative and strategic framework. Ultimately, it provides a clear roadmap for advancing targeted and effective ferroptosis-based therapies, thereby paving the way for their practical application in the prevention and treatment of AS.