A Critical Review on Anticoagulant Coatings on Cardiovascular Implants in the Past 10 Years

Cardiovascular implants have been widely used as a treatment for various cardiovascular diseases. However, the contact between implant surface and blood will cause thrombus that leads to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. To reduce the risk of thrombus, immobilizing anticoagulant coatings on the implant surface is a common method to realize anticoagulation. In this review, we focus on the anticoagulant coatings on different cardiovascular implants in the past 10 years. We review the advance on the anticoagulant coatings of four typical cardiovascular implants including artificial heart valves, vascular stents, ventricular assist devices, and catheters. In the end, we conclude the ideal design for each implant and look ahead to the future of the cardiovascular anticoagulant coatings. It is of great significance to improve the design and application of cardiovascular implants.