Advanced Materials in Cardiovascular Nanomedicine

Dear Colleagues,

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading health-related problems worldwide and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), constitutes the major cause of death in the first world. It includes disorders in which the dysfunction of the heart (congenital or secondary to rheumatic heart disease, for example) or the build-up of atheroma plaques in the arteries lead to coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral arterial disease.

Both early diagnoses and novel treatments for these diseases are under continuous development. In fact, research involving the design of new blood-compatible materials used during surgical procedures and the application of nanotechnology for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases has gained increasing interest during the past few years.

The development of atherosclerosis in blood vessels can lead to thrombosis and lack of blood supply to the dependent tissues and, therefore, to the development of symptoms and complications (angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, or peripheral thrombosis) that are usually pharmacologically treated with different groups of drugs. However, cardiothoracic surgery involving angioplasty, the insertion of stents, or coronary artery bypass are often also needed. In the case of cardiovascular diseases secondary to birth defects or dysfunction of heart valves, surgery involving the use of different types of material for the repair of the congenital defects or the replacement of heart valves by mechanical or bio-prosthetic valves can be also necessary. During cardiothoracic surgery, the use of extracorporeal circulation, whereby blood is circulated outside the body through synthetic surfaces within a perfusion circuit, is required. Thrombosis can occur when the blood contacts foreign surfaces as a result of the activation of the coagulation cascade and of platelets. Therefore, patients should be treated with anticoagulants during the surgical procedure and sometimes for the rest of their lives if a prosthetic valve, for example, is implanted, thus increasing their risk of bleeding.

This Special Issue is focused on the potential applications of new materials or nanomaterial platforms for the diagnosis or treatment of cardiovascular diseases or in situations where the development of blood-compatible surfaces for medical applications is critical. Full papers, communications, and reviews covering one or several of the topics indicated by (or related to) the keywords below are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Maria Santos-Martinez
Prof. Dr. Carlos Medina Martin
Prof. Dr. Marek Radomski
Guest Editors

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• Diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases
• Treatment of cardiovascular diseases
• Blood compatibility of materials or nanomaterials
• Nanomaterials
• Nanoparticles
• Theranostics
• Drug delivery
• Biomarkers