Gene therapy and cardiovascular disease.

This article provides the cardiologist with an overview of recent basic research relevant to the application of somatic cell gene therapy against cardiovascular disease. Somatic cell gene therapy simply refers to the use of genes as medicine, but this is a potent form of medicine that will bring major advances to nearly every form of medical practice. In the field of cardiology, research suggests that gene therapy may find application against nearly every form of cardiovascular disease. Although it is not possible to review every advance in the field, this article does provide an overview of some of the gene therapy approaches currently being pursued against atherosclerosis, thrombosis, restenosis, myocardial infarction, hypertension, heart failure, and transplant rejection.