Therapeutic angiogenesis with gene transfection for ischemic heart disease

Recent advances in modern medicine have made it possible to understand disease processes at the genetic level and to apply this knowledge to new treatment strategies. Genetic engineering studies conducted in the field of cardiovascular medicine have led to the use of gene therapy as a new means for treating ischemic heart disease. The incidence of ischemic heart disease, with underlying conditions of diabetes mellitus and arteriosclerosis, has increased in recent years and is a major cause of myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease and death. Patients with these diseases often do not respond satisfactorily to conventional treatments. Consequently attention has turned to the area of revascularization therapy utilizing the introduction of genes. (C) 2001 Prous Science. All rights reserved.