Inadequate blood supply to the heart and other tissues resulting from insufficient new blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) is a hallmark feature of many cardiovascular diseases. These conditions are said to be “angiogenesis-dependent,” and include coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, complications of diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, and stroke. 

Under normal circumstances, an array of chemical signals—growth factors, inflammatory and immune proteins and others—are release into the affected tissues to stimulate angiogenesis. This natural healing response is designed to restore blood flow to the damaged organs and tissue.

In many people with chronic conditions, the angiogenesis response may be impaired for a variety of reasons. People with diabetes, for example, are vulnerable to a number of devastating secondary conditions of their disease, such as foot ulcers and nerve damage, resulting from too little angiogenesis. In these situations, complications that arise as a result of insufficient angiogenesis can be more dangerous than the primary condition.

 

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