Therapeutic advances in cardiac targeted drug delivery: from theory to practice

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading global cause of mortality.
• Conventional systemic drug administration methods often result in limited efficacy and significant adverse effects.
• Targeted drug delivery (TDD) presents a promising strategy to overcome these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current research progress in targeted drug delivery (TDD) methods for cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
• To explore various targeting vectors, primarily nanoparticles, and administration techniques for heart-specific drug delivery.
• To provide insights and suggestions for the future development of cardiac TDD.

Main Methods:

• Review of global research on TDD strategies targeting the heart.
• Categorization of TDD methods into targeting vectors (e.g., nanoparticles) and administration routes (e.g., intracoronary, ventricular wall, pericardial injection, implantable devices).
• Analysis of the current clinical and preclinical status of these TDD methods.

Main Results:

• Targeted administration demonstrates potential for enhanced therapeutic outcomes and reduced adverse reactions in CVD treatment.
• Parenteral administration and medical device implantation are key TDD approaches.
• Novel dosage forms and technologies can further improve targeted therapy efficacy.
• Clinical trials indicate that several TDD methods are safe and effective.

Conclusions:

• TDD for cardiovascular diseases is an evolving field with diverse approaches.
• While promising, many TDD methods require further research and development before widespread clinical adoption.
• Continued research efforts are crucial to fully realize the potential of targeted cardiac drug delivery.