Cardiovascular Nanomedicine

Book excerpt: The integration of nanoparticles with classical drugs to create biocompatible delivery platforms for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases can make a major impact on patient welfare. Traditional drug delivery systems are not selective and induce severe collateral damage to surrounding non-diseased cells and tissues. Nanoparticles, however, can be bio-conjugated with antibodies to encapsulate cardiovascular drugs, gaseous molecules and biomolecules to selectively deliver them in a safe, targeted and cost-effective manner. This book provides in-depth and insightful discussion on the mechanistic, pre-clinical and clinical applications of nanomedicine in cardiovascular disease. It not only discusses core chemical concepts via the synthesis of novel nanotechnology-based drug formulations, but also covers the latest drug delivery advances including innovative therapeutic targets in cardiovascular lesions at an early, curable and reversible stage. Written by experts in the field, students and researchers will find this book equally useful for understanding the trends and challenges of the clinical translation of cardiovascular nanomedicine.