Nano- and Microscale Delivery Systems for Cardiovascular Therapy

Cardiovascular disease is still a major healthcare concern as it continues to be the leading cause of death in developed countries. Recent advancement in bioengineering technologies to generate micro- and nanoscale materials as biotransporters and therapeutics has led to a variety of new approaches to treat cardiovascular diseases. Although these strategies are still in their initial stage of research, developing effective alternate therapies to treat life-threatening diseases such as myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis can potentially improve patient outcomes and long-term economic costs imposed on the healthcare system. Over the last decade, a wide array of materials with tunable biophysical and chemical properties has been developed to successfully deliver therapeutic agents such as nucleic acids, proteins, and small molecules, and even stem cells in combination with nanomaterials for advanced cardiovascular treatments. This mainly includes polymeric nanoparticles and nanohybrid materials, microparticles, carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, liposomes, microgels, nanofibers, and nanoscaffolds. In addition, these materials also find application as multifunctional theranostic nanoagents which combine in vivo diagnostic properties along with therapeutic capabilities. This chapter discusses the emerging therapeutic delivery systems for biomedical research and highlights the recent developments in this highly interdisciplinary field along with examples of strategies that hold promise for the future of cardiovascular medicine.