Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery (Discontinued) - Volume 3, Issue 2, 2008

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) plays an important role in cardiovascular homeostasis. Plasma BNP increases markedly in left ventricular dysfunction from several causes, and its levels in heart failure (HF) correlate with symptoms severity. BNP has recently emerged as a potentially important clinical marker for the diagnosis of HF in patients with unexplained dyspnea. Other clinical applications of BNP, such as screeni Read More

Atherosclerosis is the one of the commonest causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. This review examines some of the recent patents taken out on biomarkers of cardiovascular risk, novel dietary supplements and new methods to treat cardiovascular disease. Though current approaches based on risk stratification into primary and secondary prevention and calculation of risk using simple risk factors are well established, t Read More

The beneficial effects of statins in hypertension stem from their effects on endothelial function, their interactions with the renin-angiotensin system, and their influence on large artery compliance. Substantial evidence has recently accumulated showing that statins exert pleiotropic effects in vascular function. These include an increase in the synthesis of NO, inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, Read More

Despite enormous therapeutic advances, coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a global public health problem. Effective prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality will require the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies aimed at treating early, subclinical disease stages. These novel approaches are increasingly based on the molecular understanding of disease development. Mol Read More

Potassium channels, which are essential to a wide range of physiological processes, are involved in many diseases. Thus, alterations in such important proteins due to congenital deficiencies or to undesirable side-effects of common medications might lead to dysfunctions. Heart is one of those tissues where potassium channels play a crucial role. The maintenance of cardiac action potential appears to be the consequence Read More

The results obtained in the CAPRIE study in 1996 led to the introduction of the clopidogrel as a new antiplatelet drug in the secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarct (AMI), ischemic stroke (IS) and symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD). Clopidogrel showed a similar efficacy and safety than acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). More recently, the combined use of clopidogrel with ASA has evidenced a better protection than A Read More

Objectives: To systematically review data to determine if Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA), Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA), and Foam Sclerotherapy (FS) have any advantages or disadvantages in comparison with conventional surgical ligation and stripping of great saphenous vein (GSV) varices. EVLA versus Surgery: The failure rate of GSV closure after EVLA was between 0% to 34%. In comparison the recurrence r Read More

Conivaptan, a dual vasopressin receptor antagonist, is a member of an emerging class of medications for the treatment of euvolemic hyponatremia. These agents induce a free-water diuresis as compared to the natriuretic effect of loop diuretics and make them an intriguing prospect for the treatment of congestive heart failure. Article also includes recent patents on this topic.

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is an acute febrile systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology that primarily affects children younger than five years of age. The most reliable treatment for acute-phase KD is the combination of aspirin and high dose (2g/kg) intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. However, IVIG therapy is occasionally associated with serious thromboembolism, probably because of a rapid increase in plasma IgG co Read More

Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies that are identical because they were produced by one type of immune cell, all clones of a single parent cell. This has become an important tool in biochemistry, molecular biology and medicine. The role of Complement system in inflammation has been well established. Inflammation is a cornerstone of the post-myocardial infarction. Also, during a heart bypass procedure, the “Complement a Read More

Full text available