Brittney Jackson Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in the United States and consume a significant amount of healthcare expenditures8. It is well researched and known that gene expression patterns are substantially altered in cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial infarction (MI), and heart failure5. microRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that can target […]
Category: Cardiology
Role of Mechanical Forces on Clinical Small Diameter Vascular Graft Tissue Engineering
Wesley Hejl Introduction: Coronary artery disease is a disease involving lipid deposition both intracellularly and extracellularly in the walls of the coronary arteries of the heart1. This disease is a leading cause of death of death both in the United States and worldwide1. The disease progression is well researched and results from initial endothelial injury2. […]
Diet Induced Inflammation and Hypertension: High Fat Diet’s link to Disease
Hanna Fanous Introduction. Heart disease caused by hypertension remains the number one cause of death in the United States and predictions made by the American Heart Association project a continuing rise in the ‘Hypertensive Crisis5. So too does obesity seem to rise at a parallel rate as hypertension—does a link between diet, inflammation, and hypertension […]
Emerging role of hydrogen sulfide in hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases
Beverly Chimene Introduction: Hypertension is defined as having blood pressure measured above 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic. 1 Specific hypertensive conditions are categorized by the severity or consistency of the rise in blood pressure. Hypertension is a leading risk factor for Cardiovascular disease and effects over a billion people worldwide. 2,3 This disease […]
The Role of Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Counteracting Diet Induced Hypertension and Inflammation
Dipesh Bhakta Introduction. Hypertension is a silent, chronic disease that leads to severe health complications such as heart disease and stroke, which are the leading causes of death in the United States1.75 million American adults (33%) have hypertension. This increases to 60% for adults over 60, and more than 75% for adults greater than 701. […]
Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cardiac Repair
Javier Benitez Introduction: Myocardial Infarction (MI) is a major public health problem that results in cardiac remodeling and resulting impaired heart function. Current treatment aims to prevent maladaptive pathways, but not seek to compensate for the loss of myocardium1. The use of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) has proven to be a beneficial therapy to prevent […]
The Role of Estrogen in the Renin-Angiotensin Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular Disease in Postmenopausal Women
Neha Ali Introduction. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in men and women in the USA. However, the risk of developing CV disease increases among women following menopause5. With increasing life expectancy, women may spend more than three decades in this postmenopausal state, increasing the likelihood of metabolic diseases.5,6 Estrogen has a protective […]
Optimizing Stem Cell Use for Articular Cartilage Regeneration Using PAM-T and PRP
Mariam Hussain Introduction. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that involves the destruction of articular cartilage and eventually leads to disability. Stems cells have been used as treatment, but there is controversy regarding the efficiency. In this study, we will be focusing on emerging methods of optimizing stem cell use related to articular cartilage […]
Repair of Myocardial Infarction Using Hypoxia Preconditioned Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Robin Snellings Introduction. Myocardial infarctions occur when blood supply to a section of the heart is blocked, most often due to coronary thrombosis, leading to ischemia and death of cardiac muscle tissue. Once the tissue dies, a scar is formed, and the damage is permanent, resulting in decreased mechanical function, which can lead to heart […]
Using mechanical stimuli to induce stem cell differentiation towards endothelial and smooth muscle cells for use in vascular grafts
Scott D. Cardone Introduction. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. With 1 in 4 deaths resulting from CVD, the American Heart Association estimates its annual health care cost to be $316 billion.1 Often, a patient will need a surgical operation to bypass an […]