Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Formerly Current Medicinal Chemistry - Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents) - Volume 6, Issue 2, 2008

Urotensin II (U-II) is a cyclic peptide isolated from a fish. Subsequently, human U-II and its receptor were identified. In rat thoracic aorta U-II triggers powerful vasoconstrictor activity. However, the constrictor response to U-II appears to be variable and highly dependent on the vascular bed examined. Vasoconstriction is not its only effect; U-II and its receptor have been demonstrated in the central nervous system, wher Read More

Ischemic heart disease remains one of the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although the prognosis of myocardial ischemia has been dramatically improved by the techniques of early reperfusion, the prevention of irreversible ischemic damage remains a critical aspect of the treatment. An appealing novel therapeutic avenue for the prevention of myocardial ischemia relates to the possibility of a Read More

In-stent restenosis (ISR) caused by neointimal hyperplasia is the major drawback after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for obstructive coronary disease, occurring in up to 40% of lesions. Recently, one of the most intriguing new therapies developed is drug-eluting stents (DES) that target the central phenomenon of cellular proliferation that causes ISR. The benefits of stent-based drug delivery include maximizing th Read More

Angioplasty and stenting have become routine practice for the treatment of significant obstructive atherosclerotic vascular disease. This method of revascularization has a longer history concerning coronary artery disease but is becoming an increasingly used modality of revascularization in the peripheral circulation. Neointimal formation is the pathological basis for restenosis after revascularization procedures such as angioplast Read More

The no-reflow phenomenon (NRP) is characterized by an inadequate myocardial tissue perfusion in the presence of a patent epicardial coronary artery. It generally occurs after temporary occlusion of the artery causing myocardial ischemia and necrosis that persist after relief of the vessel occlusion, without evidence of epicardial mechanical obstruction. Currently, the main scenario of NRP is the setting of percutaneous cor Read More

Current evidence suggests a central role for antithrombotic agents such as unfractionated heparin (UFH) or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). In patients with acute myocardial infarction, several studies have shown that LMWHs may represent an effective alternative to UFH as an adjunct to thrombolytic therapy and are not associated with an increased risk of major bl Read More

Both depression and cardiovascular disease are major public health problems. Growing evidence shows that depression is a risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the exact mechanisms underlying the interplay between depression and CAD remain to be elucidated. Depression adversely affects autonomic and hormonal homeostasis, resulting in metabolic abnormalities, inflammation, i Read More

Interleukins (ILs) are key mediators in the chronic vascular inflammatory response underlying several aspects of cardiovascular disease. Due to their powerful pro-inflammatory potential, and the fact that they are highly expressed by almost all cell types actively implicated in atherosclerosis, members of the IL-1 cytokine family were the first to be investigated in the field of vessel wall inflammation. The IL-1 family is comprise Read More