Effectiveness of Nanotechnology in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment

This research proposal aims to explore the effectiveness of nanotechnology in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. It discusses the current trends and opinions among health professionals, the impact of nanotechnology on health outcomes in cardiovascular patients, and the need for new interventions. The proposed hypothesis is that nanotechnology is an effective cardiovascular intervention in terms of improvement of patient’s health outcomes, mortality of life, and overall quality of life as compared to traditional interventions such as oral medications or invasive heart surgeries. The research design is quantitative, retrospective, and cross-sectional, and the data will be collected through a survey and patient records. The data will be analyzed using Microsoft Excel, student’s t-test, and ANNOVA. The independent variables are cardiovascular interventions like nanotechnology, oral medications, and invasive surgery, while the dependent variables are mortality rates and quality of life scores. The sample will be collected using random and purpose sampling methods, and ethical considerations will be taken into account.

Research Proposal: EFFECTIVENESS OF
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN THE PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS
AND TREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

Introduction
• Approximately 17.6 million succumbed to
cardiovascular complications in 2016.
• Risk factors include with factors like obesity,
substance abuse, inactivity and inadequate diet
(World Health Organization, 2019).
• Despite traditional therapeutic interventions
cardiovascular diseases are still on the rise and
are associated with long term complications in
terms of daily life functionality and overall
health outcomes (Cooke & Atkins, 2016).

What is Nanotechnology?
• Nanotechnology can be defined as a novel and
innovative field of molecular science that
comprises of usage and manipulation of
substances and equipment at the nano scale
(Kuzmov & Minko, 2015).
• A major application for which nanoparticle
usage is considered to be exclusively effective
is the targeted delivery of drugs via both active
as well as passive method, for the purpose of
disease treatment (Cooke & Atkins, 2016).

Figure 1: Usage of nanoparticles for treatment of ischemia induced cardiac injuries: A: Passive and active
drug delivery targeting using enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and nanoparticles with
targeting moieties, B: Distribution of nanoparticles in biological systems to understand their fat when
administered in-vivo. (Source: Prajnamitra, R. P., Chen, H. C., Lin, C. J., Chen, L. L., & Hsieh, P. C. H. (2019).
Nanotechnology Approaches in Tackling Cardiovascular Diseases. Molecules, 24(10), 2017.

Table 1: Summary of nanotechnology
applications in cardiovascular disease
Class Application
Liposome Thrombosis,
Atherosclerosis,
Vasodilation, Cardio-
protectant
Polymeric Nanoparticle Thrombosis,
Atherosclerosis, Cardio-
protectant
Polymeric micelle Thrombosis,
Atherosclerosis,
Vasodilation, Cardio-
protectant
Dendrimer Thrombosis,

Research Motives
• To explore the current trends and
opinions among health professionals on
the effectiveness of.
• To explore the effectiveness of
nanotechnology in improving the quality
of life in cardiac patients.
• To explore the effectiveness of
nanotechnology in improving the
mortality rate of cardiac patients.

Proposed Hypothesis
Nanotechnology is an effective
cardiovascular intervention in terms
of improvement of patient’s health
outcomes, mortality of life and overall
quality of life as compared to
traditional interventions such as oral
medications or invasive heart
surgeries.

Rationale: Need for new Interventions
• Despite growing engagement in physical
inactivity and consumption of an unhealthy
diet are continuing to rise (Karimi et al., 2016).
• Common pharmacological interventions have
been implicated to yield adverse health
consequences (Berwanger et al., 2015).
• Open heart surgeries cause long term
complications (Jafri et al., 2017).

Rationale: Limited Evidence
• There is currently limited evidence on the
effectiveness of nanotechnology in
disease treatment.
• There also remains a dearth of research
on recommended standards based upon
which treatment can be provided to
cardiovascular patients (Lakshmanan &
Maulik, 2018).

Methodology: Research Design
• A quantitative, retrospective, cross
sectional research design will be used.
• A survey will be conducted to explore the
views, opinions and standards followed by
health professionals on the usage of
nanotechnology.
• Additional data on the mortality rate and
quality of life of cardiovascular disease
patients will be collected.

Methodology: Data
Collection
• For obtaining information on the
responses of the chosen health
professionals, a survey will be conducted.
• To explore the impact of nanotechnology
on health outcomes in cardiovascular
patients, the mortality rates and quality of
life of cardiovascular patients using
patient records and the Minnesota Living
with Heart Failure Questionnaire.

Methodology: Data Analysis
• The data so obtained will be tested
against the proposed hypothesis.
• Microsoft Excel will be used to collate and
tabulate the data followed by usage of
student’s t-test and ANNOVA to explore
any statistically significant differences in
the mortality rates and quality of life
scores.

Methodology: Data
Variables
• Independent Variables: Cardiovascular
interventions like nanotechnology, oral
medications and invasive surgery.
• Dependent Variables: Mortality rates,
scores of Quality of Life

Methodology: Sample
• Random, purpose sampling methods will be
conducted where cardiologists and cardiac
surgeons will be recruited randomly.
• Patients who have encountered at least one
episode of myocardial infarction or stroke,
will be randomly recruited.
• The sample size will be collected using the
z-value, that is, using the following
formula: n = (Zσ/E)2 (Sullivan, 2019).

Methodology: Ethics
• Written permission or consent will be
obtained from the concerned health
organization.
• Health professionals and patients will be
asked to voluntarily participate in the
research without any form of coercion.
• Patient identities will be kept confidential.
• Gentle persuasion and monetary rewards
will be provided to prevent survey bias.

Research Value
• Obtaining information on present
knowledge and awareness on
nanotechnology and disease treatment.
• Will provide supporting evidence for
development of nanotechnology training
and educational frameworks.
• Will pave the way for development of
standards on safe and quality usage of
nanomedicine for disease treatment.

Conclusion
• There is a need for development of robust
cardio-protective interventions, of which,
nanotechnology proves to be an efficacious
solution.
• However, further research is required to
establish standards of safety and toxicity on
correct usage of nanomedicines for disease
treatment.

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