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Posted on Mar 01, 2005, 4 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Coronary artery disease (heart disease) affects 12 million Americans. The direct and indirect cost of this disease is about $100 billion per year in the United States. There are three main arteries in the heart that branch out to smaller arteries. If the larger arteries get clogged, they are often treated with a stent of bypass surgery.
Coronary artery disease (heart disease) affects 12 million Americans. The direct and indirect cost of this disease is about $100 billion per year in the United States. There are three main arteries in the heart that branch out to smaller arteries. If the larger arteries get clogged, they are often treated with a stent of bypass surgery. But these treatments are not possible for the smaller arteries. Six million Americans suffer from angina. Angina is a debilitating chest pain that is caused by lack of blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle. This reduction of blood flow and oxygen may result in damage to the heart muscle, which can lead to heart failure. While angina is often managed by medications, for some patients a new option is now available.
ANGIOGENESIS TREATMENT: The concept behind angiogenesis is the body's ability to grow new arteries. The treatment involves injecting a growth factor protein called FGF1 directly into the heart muscle. The first patient was treated in November 2003. In the past year, eight patients have been treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. This center was the first in the United States to use the treatment. Angiogenesis came about after a European physician developed this growth factor protein over the past 10 years. The first five patients have been followed for three months or longer. Doctors say the patients have all grown new arteries and are reporting an improvement in their symptoms. Furthermore, there was a concern about the treatment causing new arteries to grow in unwanted areas. So far this has not happened. In fact, patients report feeling a difference in a matter of weeks with no side effects. Lynne Wagoner, M.D., Cardiologist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, says, "Our early results are exciting, but the research must continue. It is important to complete this clinical trial and evaluate our results with that of the other American centers."
WHAT A DIFFERENCE: Dr. Wagoner says for many of these patients there are no other options. She says patients are often sent to her for a heart transplant and despite their suffering, they are not sick enough to be eligible for a heart, so they end up just living in pain. Dr. Wagoner says while she was skeptical with this treatment at first, she is amazed at what she has seen with the patients. After three months, patients are evaluated through cardiac catherization screenings. Doctors use a special dye to detect new artery growth. The vessel formation is seen as a "blush" of new arteries. All patients are reporting little or no chest pain after having the treatment and the ability to do more physical activity than before receiving the injection.
AVAILABILITY: This treatment is only available on a limited basis, as it's in phase I clinical trials. Eventually, 32 patients will be treated across the United States. Depending on the results of this trial, the treatment could be expanded into phase 2 trials.
ANGIOGENESIS TREATMENT: The concept behind angiogenesis is the body's ability to grow new arteries. The treatment involves injecting a growth factor protein called FGF1 directly into the heart muscle. The first patient was treated in November 2003. In the past year, eight patients have been treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. This center was the first in the United States to use the treatment. Angiogenesis came about after a European physician developed this growth factor protein over the past 10 years. The first five patients have been followed for three months or longer. Doctors say the patients have all grown new arteries and are reporting an improvement in their symptoms. Furthermore, there was a concern about the treatment causing new arteries to grow in unwanted areas. So far this has not happened. In fact, patients report feeling a difference in a matter of weeks with no side effects. Lynne Wagoner, M.D., Cardiologist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, says, "Our early results are exciting, but the research must continue. It is important to complete this clinical trial and evaluate our results with that of the other American centers."
WHAT A DIFFERENCE: Dr. Wagoner says for many of these patients there are no other options. She says patients are often sent to her for a heart transplant and despite their suffering, they are not sick enough to be eligible for a heart, so they end up just living in pain. Dr. Wagoner says while she was skeptical with this treatment at first, she is amazed at what she has seen with the patients. After three months, patients are evaluated through cardiac catherization screenings. Doctors use a special dye to detect new artery growth. The vessel formation is seen as a "blush" of new arteries. All patients are reporting little or no chest pain after having the treatment and the ability to do more physical activity than before receiving the injection.
AVAILABILITY: This treatment is only available on a limited basis, as it's in phase I clinical trials. Eventually, 32 patients will be treated across the United States. Depending on the results of this trial, the treatment could be expanded into phase 2 trials.
