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Beta blocker Ancient and cheap drug reduces the extent of heart attack
Every year around 300,000 people in Germany suffer a heart attack. In the acute case, rapid action is necessary to save lives and to avoid consequential damage. Spanish researchers have now discovered that a particular beta-blocker can be of great benefit to infarct patients. The drug, if administered early, reduces the size of a heart attack.
Drug can reduce the size of a heart attack
Beta-blockers are medicines that slow down the heartbeat and lower blood pressure. Such drugs are therefore used mainly in hypertension. But also heart diseases such as myocardial insufficiency (heart failure), coronary heart disease (CHD) as well as cardiac arrhythmias are partially treated with it. And even people who have had a heart attack, get such drugs to relieve the heart. Researchers from Spain have now discovered that a certain beta-blocker can help reduce the size of an infarct in an acute case.
Researchers have found that a particular beta-blocker can be of great benefit to infarct patients. The drug metoprolol - if administered early - reduces the size of a heart attack. (Image: Kzenon / fotolia.com) Beta blocker inhibits inflammatory effect of neutrophils
Researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovascular Carlos III (CNIC) in Madrid have discovered a new mechanism of action of metoprolol, a drug that can reduce the damage caused by a heart attack in premature administration.
The team of dr. Borja Ibáñez, clinical research director at the CNIC and cardiologist at the Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz de Madrid (IIS-FJD), has identified the mechanism that explains why this drug is so beneficial.
As stated in a Communication from the Research Center, the rapid administration of metoprolol in a heart attack inhibits the inflammatory effect of neutrophils.
This will damage a smaller part of the heart. The researchers have published their new findings in the journal "Nature Communications". The discovery "opens the door to new applications for this cheap, safe and easy medicine," the statement says.
Permanent damage after heart attack
Neutrophils are white blood cells that trigger inflammation in the affected tissue after a heart attack and thus can cause permanent damage.
"In an infarction" is according to Dr. Ibáñez "the most important thing to restore blood flow as soon as possible." But in this process, which is called reperfusion, it can lead to further permanent damage to the heart, because the resuscitation of many battered, but still viable heart muscle cells, the death blow becomes.
Such additional damage from blood flow restoration (also known as reperfusion injury) was considered a necessary evil, according to researchers, because it is necessary to clear the coronary artery as quickly as possible.
The scientists found that early administration of metoprolol protects the heart by acting directly on neutrophils.
"Metoprolol anesthetizes neutrophils, changes their behavior and limits their damaging inflammatory effect on the heart muscle," said study author Jaime García-Prieto.
Cheap drug in use for over three decades
According to Andrés Hidalgo from the CNIC, neutrophil invasion is closely linked to their interactions with platelets.
"Metoprolol drastically blocks these interactions and the number of neutrophils that enter the infarcted tissue," says the expert.
Dr. Ibañez concluded that "the priority after a heart attack remains the fastest possible restoration of blood flow, but we need to prepare the heart for it by administering metoprolol."
It's taken seven years for the team to figure out why therapy with metoprolol is so important, according to the research center's message. An agent that has been reported to have been used for over 30 years and costs less than € 2 per dose. (Ad)