Heart attack damage can be reduced with a simple injection, say experts
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Version 0 of 1. Australian scientists have stumbled upon a "simple" way to dramatically reduce the damage caused by a heart attack. They say the new method could transform the treatment of heart attack patients, and could also help people with multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. The key to the treatment is for doctors to inject synthetic microparticles into the patient's bloodstream within 24 hours of a heart attack. This reduces tissue damage caused by inflammatory white blood cells, according to a report published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The particles are made from the same material as dissolvable stitches. The University of Sydney scientists were using them in a different experiment when they discovered the anti-inflammatory effect. "It was accidental. A classical serendipitous discovery," immunopathology professor Nicholas King said. He and his team believes the method halves post-heart attack damage and plans to conduct human clinical trials in two years. "This is the first therapy that specifically targets a key driver of the damage that occurs after a heart attack," co-discoverer Dr Daniel Getts said. "There is no other therapy on the horizon that can do this. It has the potential to transform the way heart attacks and cardiovascular disease are treated." The treatment triggers a natural process that destroys the inflammatory cells, King said. "We're very excited. This means we can prevent major tissue damage,” he said. "The inflammatory cells are diverted down a natural cell disposal pathway into the spleen." He points out, however, the treatment limits the tissue damage caused only after a heart attack. It cannot repair tissue damaged during the heart attack and has no effect on the disease that caused the heart attack. "But we think it will improve the heart function substantially and the patient will end up with a better quality of life," King said. Early research shows the microparticles reduce inflammatory damage and enhance tissue repair in a diverse range of scenarios, from multiple sclerosis to viral inflammation of the brain and kidney transplant. "The potential is quite extraordinary," King said. "It's amazing that such a simple approach can limit major tissue damage in such a wide range of diseases." Professor James Tatoulis of the Heart Foundation described the discovery as "important and exciting". "It is extremely relevant as up to 20,000 Australians survive a heart attack annually and may subsequently develop heart failure," he said. He emphasised, however, that half the people who suffered a heart attack died before they got to hospital. "This will not prevent the heart attack occurring in the first place," he said. Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |