Research Progress of Electrical Stimulation in Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a considerable health burden worldwide with high mortality and morbidity. Treatments for IHD are mainly focused on decreasing oxygen demand or increasing myocardial oxygen supply, including pharmacological, interventional, and surgical treatment, but there are also some limitations. Therefore, it is important to find a simple, effective, and economical treatment. As non-invasive and safe physiotherapy, electrical stimulation (ES) has a promising application in the treatment of IHD. Current studies suggest that ES can affect the occurrence and development of IHD by promoting angiogenesis, regulating autophagy and apoptosis, inhibiting the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. In this review, we focus predominantly on the mechanism of ES and the current progress of ES therapy in IHD, furthermore, give a brief introduction to the forms of ES in clinical application.

Automated summary

Ischemic heart disease is a significant global health burden with high mortality and morbidity. Current treatments focus on reducing oxygen demand or increasing myocardial oxygen supply, but have limitations. Therefore, finding a simple, effective, and economical treatment is crucial. Electrical stimulation as a non-invasive and safe physiotherapy shows promise in IHD treatment by influencing angiogenesis, autophagy, apoptosis, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress. Further research is needed to explore the potential of electrical stimulation therapy in IHD.