Application of nanomedicine in cardiovascular diseases and stroke

Nanomedicine is using nanotechnology in the medical application, which could range from medical use of nanomaterials in drug delivery and bio-imaging to development of nano-scale devices and sensors for diagnosis and therapy. Nanomedicine could also include methods to evaluate nanomaterials solely to ensure safe use through careful monitoring for potential toxicity. In this review, we will outline some of the potential uses of nanotechnology in different fields of medicine with special emphasis on cardiovascular diseases and stroke, based on pathophysiologic basis. We will also review some of the known nanomaterials that are already being utilized in diagnosis and treatment, commonly the FDA approved nanomaterials and others that have demonstrated to be promising in clinical applications. Finally, we will discuss the potential limitations of using nanotechnology in medical applications. Since nanomedicine is now emerging and still in development, this review is not intended as a comprehensive or conclusive overview of nanomedicine. Instead, we hope to provide examples of what are available currently, and to demonstrate the enormous potentials of nanomedicine in order to meet the unresolved needs and new challenges of medicine.