According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), the leading cause of death in the United States is Cardiovascular disease, which claims approximately 611,000 lives per year and includes symptoms like Myocardial infarctions (MI) (Heart attacks) (source). Heart attacks occur when an artery in the heart becomes blocked - often through blood clots that form when atherosclerotic plaque (caused by an unhealthy diet) ruptures - as explained in the Ted-Ed Video here.
How blood pressure works - Wilfred Manzano - Ted-Ed
Due to its high prevalence in advanced countries, much research has been done and many drugs developed to help treat the disease. Nanotechnologies have been developed, at the Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Biomaterials at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, USA, that may aid in the treatment of this disease by aiding in the delivery of cardiovascular drugs directly to the atherosclerotic plaque sites. Specifically, they developed a 'nanodrone' that was able to attach to the plaque and deliver the drug Annexin A1, which resulted in decreased inflammation, decreased plaque size and increased thickness of the collagen layering the plaque (helping prevent plaque rupturing and blood clotting) in mice. The result was that mice that relieved the treatment of the drug did not experience an MI. Moreover, when the same drug was administered without the nanodrone, the treatment was ineffective, as when the nanoparticle was administered without the drug.
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| A Depiction of the 'Nanodrone' |
Clearly, the application of nanotechnologies for delivery of drugs is a serious one that will help make treatments more effective even outside this specific example. It shows that nanotechnology will enhance modern medicine and help improve the quality of human life, which is one of the ultimate goals of technology and medicine.
To find out more about cardiovascular disease, click here.
To find out more about Myocardial infarction, click here.
To find out more about this nanotechnology, click here.
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