Nanomedicine approaches for the diagnosis, treatment and theragnosis of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and their associated cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Hypertension and diabetes are two of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the current world population, especially in Western societies. These two pathological conditions are key risk factors for the onset and progression of many cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, atherosclerosis, pulmonary hypertension, thrombosis, and heart failure. In general, hypertension and diabetes mellitus coexist in most patients with metabolic disorders. Both pathologies usually develop concomitantly or consecutively in the same individual due to different underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms that are shared between them. Some of these mechanisms include inadequate renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activation, insulin resistance, dysfunctional immune response, inflammation, oxidative stress, abnormal sodium renal management, exacerbated sympathetic nervous system activation, and endothelial dysfunction, among others.