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Cardiovascular New risk assessment for sudden cardiac death
The risk of sudden cardiac death increases significantly with a genetically determined, diseased enlargement of the heart muscle. "In young people, this disease, known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, is one of the most common causes of sudden cardiac death," reports the Berlin Charité. In a large-scale international study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the risk in patients with thickened heart muscle should be thoroughly investigated. Scientists from the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) have taken over the lead for the clinical examination of the participating research institutions in Germany.
The aim of the study is to identify other risk factors for sudden cardiac death in patients with pathological cardiac muscle enlargement. Because "the danger potential can not be measured exclusively by the degree of thickening of the heart muscle," explains Prof. Dr. med. Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Head of the Cardiology Outpatient Clinic at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), a joint Charité and MDC facility. Thus, patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) without visible thickening of the heart muscle are at risk. "Not only hereditary factors but also other unknown factors play a role," emphasizes the expert. Meaningful risk factors will be identified in the current study with the help of "genetic tests, blood tests and modern imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)".
Recognize risk of sudden cardiac death
A total of 42 research sites in the US, UK, Canada and Europe are involved in the study, including three German research institutions with MRI expertise, reports the Charité. "This is the largest and most important study to date on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which will significantly improve the therapy and prognosis of HCM patients in the future," said Prof. Schulz-Menger, whose team in the field of cardiac MRI also works with HELIOS Klinikum Berlin Book cooperates. "Our goal is to recognize patients with high risk of sudden cardiac death by combining a variety of procedures to better advise and treat them in the future - and thus to minimize the individual risk of sudden cardiac death," emphasizes the physician.
In case of a pathological thickening of the heart muscle, the risk of sudden cardiac death is significantly increased. (Image: psdesign1 / fotolia.com) Further study participants wanted
According to the researchers, genetically determined thickening of the left ventricle muscle is "one of the most common causes of sudden cardiac death in young people." HCM is by no means rare. For example, one in 500 people show the genetic make-up for abnormal enlargement of the heart muscle, although "only two to three percent of patients really experience a sudden cardiac death," reports the Berlin Charité. Nevertheless, there is a risk that is difficult to assess. For better risk assessment, the current study should contribute here. For these, according to the Charité still study participants are searched. "Interested patients between the ages of 18 and 65 years with confirmed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or suspected HCM can call anytime at +49 30 450 540 625 (answering machine) or by e-mail at simone.fritschi (at) charite. and participate in the study ", according to the report of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. (Fp)