Gene therapy for cardiovascular diseases

Few disciplines in medicine will have as great an impact as molecular biology. Since the introduction of these techniques in cardiology multiple pathophysiologic pathways of cardiac diseases have been better elucidated. We have been very successful in prolonging life and providing better care for cardiac patients in the last 50 years. We could even consider that conventional therapy has reached its peak; but the new developments in molecular biology have sparked an increase in the knowledge of basic mechanisms of cardiac disease, which is likely to markedly improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Nevertheless, it may be some time before we achieve a significant breakthrough in the therapy of these diseases, despite the progress in molecular and computational techniques. Gene therapy has not shown enthusiastic results, but we must be reminded that the application of these techniques to medicine is only the beginning.