Drug loaded implantable devices to treat cardiovascular disease

ABSTRACT

Introduction

It is widely acknowledged that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the leading cause of death globally. Furthermore, CVDs are the leading cause of diminished quality of life for patients, frequently as a result of their progressive deterioration. Medical implants that release drugs into the body are active implants that do more than just provide mechanical support; they also have a therapeutic role. Primarily, this is achieved through the controlled release of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) at the implementation site.

Areas covered

In this review, the authors discuss drug-eluting stents, drug-eluting vascular grafts, and drug-eluting cardiac patches with the aim of providing a broad overview of the three most common types of cardiac implant.

Expert opinion

Drug eluting implants are an ideal alternative to traditional drug delivery because they allow for accurate drug release, local drug delivery to the target tissue, and minimize the adverse side effects associated with systemic administration. Despite the fact that there are still challenges that need to be addressed, the ever-evolving new technologies are making the fabrication of drug-eluting implants a rewarding therapeutic endeavor with the possibility for even greater advances.

KEYWORDS:

• Cardiovascular disease
• implantable devices
• cardiac patches
• cardiovascular stents
• vascular grafts

Article highlights

• When it comes to the treatment of chronic conditions, drug-eluting implants have the ability to provide uninterrupted, long-acting systemic delivery of a wide variety of medications.

• Investigation on the use of drug-eluting implantable devices for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases has taken place throughout the last several years. The three main types of drug-eluting cardiac implants – drug-eluting stents, drug eluting vascular grafts, and drug eluting cardiac patches – are explored in great detail throughout this review.

• Drug eluting stents, which have recently attracted interest, are clinically available and have both laboratory and clinical trials. The studies imply that these implants prevent restenosis. Long-term restenosis outcomes are improved by new biodegradable stent technologies.

• Thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia are two conditions that may be treated with drug-eluting vascular grafts. These grafts, along with their recent advancements, have been addressed both as an alternative to autologous veins and as a viable treatment for these conditions.

• It has been discussed that cardiac patches could be used to effectively regenerate heart tissue in patients undergoing treatment for cardiac illness. Drug-eluting cardiac patches can mimic the natural process of heart tissue regeneration.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

J. Domínguez Robles acknowledges financial support from the Ramón y Cajal grant RYC-2021-034357-I funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR”.