Chapter 4: Cardiovascular Nanomedicine: Mode of Action and Applications

Cardiovascular diseases pose a serious health threat and are responsible for mortality and morbidity worldwide. Numerous diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic approaches are available for treating heart disorders; however, they are not efficacious in appreciably slowing the progression of these diseases and may result in adverse side effects. Hence, it is appealing to explore better strategies and technologies for an effective treatment to overcome the limitations of previous treatment approaches. Nanomedicines offer promising benefits in advanced healthcare due to their unique physicochemical properties. Owing to their nanoscale size, high surface-area-to-volume ratio, surface morphology, and precise, site-specific drug delivery, nanopharmaceutics holds the potential for changes in clinical practice. A novel approach that is highly in demand is “theranostics”, which aims to diagnose and treat a disease by using one composite. This advanced approach is receiving more and more attention because of its significant role in biomarker detection, tissue engineering, efficient and targeted nanoscale drug delivery, and cardiovascular imaging. This chapter covers a detailed view of different classes of nanomaterials being used as drug vehicles for carrying pharmaceutical agents to their site of action and their applications for the effective control and treatment of cardiovascular diseases both as therapeutic and as theranostic agents.