Advances in Functionalized Hydrogels in the Treatment of Myocardial Infarction and Drug-Delivery Strategies

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a serious cardiovascular disease with high morbidity and mortality rates, posing a significant threat to patient's health and quality of life. Following a MI, the damaged myocardial tissue is typically not fully repaired, leading to permanent impairment of myocardial function. While traditional treatments can alleviate symptoms and reduce pain, their ability to repair damaged heart muscle tissue is limited. Functionalized hydrogels, a broad category of materials with diverse functionalities, can enhance the properties of hydrogels to cater to the needs of tissue engineering, drug delivery, medical dressings, and other applications. Recently, functionalized hydrogels have emerged as a promising new therapeutic approach for the treatment of MI. Functionalized hydrogels possess outstanding biocompatibility, customizable mechanical properties, and drug-release capabilities. These properties enable them to offer scaffold support, drug release, and tissue regeneration promotion, making them a promising approach for treating MI. This paper aims to evaluate the advancements and delivery methods of functionalized hydrogels for treating MI, while also discussing their potential and the challenges they may pose for future clinical use.