Therapeutic potentials of pentoxifylline for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are life-threatening conditions and, thus, have received a great deal of attention over the years. Several mechanisms, including hemorheology changes and inflammatory effects, are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Because cardiovascular dysfunction is also known to worsen hemorheology changes and influence vital symptoms, it has become critical to formulate effective therapeutic strategies to combat the deleterious effects of cardiovascular diseases. Although a wide variety of drugs have been developed for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, the effectiveness of any agent for therapy of a given disease cannot be indicated with certainty. OBJECTIVES AND OBSERVATIONS: Pentoxifylline (PTXF), a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, has been investigated for close to two decades because of its primary pharmacological actions on hemorheology and other anti-inflammatory effects. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the effects and mechanisms of PTXF in ischemic injury, peripheral vascular disease and heart failure. The present article is intended to emphasize the therapeutic potentials of PTXF in different types of cardiovascular diseases, focusing on the mechanisms of its pharmacological actions.