Gene therapy for cardiovascular diseases

Gene therapy offers a promising alternative for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases. Blood vessels are among the easiest targets for gene therapy and in some pathological conditions only a temporary expression of the transfected gene will be required to achieve a beneficial biological effect. These conditions include the prevention of postangioplasty restenosis, postbypass atherosclerosis, peripheral atherosclerotic vascular disease and thrombus formation. Further developments in gene transfer vectors and gene delivery techniques are required before a full therapeutic potential or gene therapy in cardiovascular diseases can be evaluated.