Chapter 5: Novel Nanotherapies for the Treatment of Coronary Atherosclerosis

Coronary atherosclerosis is the primary cause of myocardial infarction, the leading cause of death globally. The emergence of nanomedicines has revolutionised targeted therapeutics, as they offer increased efficacy, bioavailability and stability whilst limiting off-target adverse effects, like those seen in conventional treatments. Recent advances in this field have led to the development of nanomedicines in atherosclerosis, which have the potential to reduce the instance and severity of life-threatening atherosclerosis-associated complications, including heart attack. In this chapter, we will review the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and its key contributing factors, as well as discuss current developments in the field of coronary atherosclerosis.