Nanotechnology Applications in Local Arterial Drug Delivery

Disorders of the cardiovascular system are identified as the primary cause of fatal conditions, such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and stroke. It is mainly the damage of the arterial vascular system that leads to the development of many of these fatal diseases. Abnormalities in the arterial system directly affects blood circulation and ultimately results in irreversible peripheral organ or tissue damage. This review describes the challenges and opportunities in systemic and local drug delivery to the arterial tissue. Based on the unique anatomical and physiological constraints, advances in systemic (e.g., targeted nanotechnology-based formulations) and local (e.g., drug-eluting stent implantation) delivery technologies have provided insights into arterial therapeutic approaches, especially in coronary restenosis. Significant opportunities exist in further development of multifunctional nanosystems that can be incorporated with localized delivery strategies, such as double-balloon catheters, to improve drug residence and intracellular availability.