In Switzerland, more than 20,000 people (37% of all deaths) die of
cardiovascular disease caused by atherosclerosis each year. Treatment options
are currently available to people who suffer from the disease but no drug can
target solely the diseased areas, often leading to generalized side effects.
Intravenous injection of a vasodilator (a substance that dilates blood
vessels), such as nitroglycerin, dilates both the diseased vessels and the rest
of our arteries. Blood pressure can thus drop, which would limit the desired
increased blood flow generated by vasodilatation of diseased vessels and needed
for example during a heart attack.