Angiogenesis and the ischaemic heart

Historically, interest in the therapeutic implications of angiogenesis has centered on the inhibition of new vascular growth to retard the spread of cancer. More recently, however, there has been equal enthusiasm for the therapeutic implications of inducing new vascular growth in ischaemic disorders of the coronary and peripheral vasculature. While medical, surgical and percutaneous catheter-based interventions provide symptomatic relief in a significant proportion of the ischaemic population, a substantial cohort of patients with advanced or refractory disease currently has no acceptable therapeutic alternative. In this context, the promotion of neovascularization within ischaemic vasculature is based upon a valid and intuitively rational scientific concept and presents an innovative approach to treatment of ischaemic diseases in the cardiovascular system. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate some of these scientific concepts and to review the recent advances in the field of angiogenesis.