NANOTECHNOLOGY IN CARDIOLOGY: A NEW ERA OF TARGETED THERAPIES AND ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS- A REVIEW

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are disorders related to heart, blood vessels and circulatory system. The disease category of CVDs continues to rank as the primary cause of death in the world while death cases rose from 12.1 million in 1990 to reach 20.5 million in 2021, approximately one-third of all global deaths i.e. 33% deaths. Currently, CVDs are not completely curable but they can be prevented. Diagnostic methods for the CVDs are computerized electrocardiography, echocardiography, coronary angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, molecular imaging and cardiac immunoassay. Different medicines to treat CVDs are aspirin, statins, warfarin and poly-pill etc. Other than these medicines, some enzyme inhibitors, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, β-blockers, ivabradine etc., and anti-platelet therapy is also used for the treatment of CVDs. New pharmacotherapy and interventional strategies exist but patients still face ongoing problems with systemic toxicity and restricted drug distribution alongside medical procedure constraints. Nanotechnology provides cardiovascular medicine with transformative capabilities by enabling precise diagnostic methods and highly targeted treatment approaches. Pharmacological systems that incorporate nanoparticles as polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers and solid lipid nanoparticles improve drug distribution while controlling delivery timing and achieving specific targets for minimizing side effects. Significant molecular imaging with theranostics and regenerative cardiology progress has been achieved through nanomaterial usage of gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and graphene derivatives. This review delves into the latest advancements in nanomedicine for CVD management, emphasizing its pivotal role in precision cardiology, targeted therapeutics, and next-generation cardiovascular diagnostics.