New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) An international team of researchers led by an Indian-origin man has found that a drug used to treat kidney disease could be given to patients with myocardial infarction (heart attack).
A team led by Mount Sinai Foster Heart Hospital reported in a research that a drug called Empagliflozin can reduce the cases of heart failure after a heart attack. This drug also works on patients whose kidneys are already weak.
Heart attack patients are often more susceptible to kidney problems because they are given certain medications or fluids that can have a bad effect on the kidneys. This can lead to kidney damage.
Because of this risk, doctors are hesitant to start empagliflozin immediately after a heart attack because there is little data about the safety of this class of drug in this particular clinical setting. This drug may block the sodium glucose co-transporter 2 protein that aids in the kidney’s ability to reabsorb glucose from the blood
Hospital director Deepak L. Bhatt said that this research is about the use of Empagliflozin drug in heart attack survivors. This will help doctors in using this drug.
The study randomized 6,522 patients at increased risk of heart attack to receive empagliflozin or a name substitute. Those taking empagliflozin were less likely to need hospitalization and had fewer heart failure episodes than those taking other medications, as well as a reduced risk of persistent decline in baseline kidney function.
The rate of harmful events within 30 days of drug use was similar in both groups, regardless of baseline kidney function, systolic blood pressure, or other medical treatment.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, with heart attack being the leading cause.
The team said the research will have significant implications for the treatment of a very vulnerable population of heart disease patients globally, as it will reassure doctors about the safety and efficacy of empagliflozin immediately after a heart attack.
These research results were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London.
–IANS
MKS/AKJ
