Squeezing an arm may protect the heart following a heart-attack
Scientists at the University of Leicester are investigating whether a simple squeeze on an arm can protect heart muscleTissue made up of cells that can contract to bring about movement. from life-threatening damage following a heart attackThe death of a section of heart muscle caused by an interruption in its blood supply. Also called a myocardial infarction..
The technique, called conditioning, is being investigated by Dr Sadat Edroos, a postgraduate researcher from the University's Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, to determine its effectiveness at protecting the heart of people with cardiovascular diseaseDisease of the heart and blood vessels, usually due to atherosclerosis.. This technique promises to reduce the damage to the heart that occurs after a heart attack by as much as a quarter, which would have significant beneficial implications for patients' long term survival and wellbeing.
The method of conditioning is based on the observation that temporarily stopping the bloodA fluid that transports oxygen and other substances through the body, made up of blood cells suspended in a liquid. supply to a muscle makes it resistantA microbe, such as a type of bacteria, that is able to resist the effects of antibiotics or other drugs. to further damage. However protection from one muscle may be transferred elsewhere through the blood stream to another. Squeezing an arm for a few minutes can shield the heart, reducing the extent of damage after a heart attack.
Dr Sadat Edroos says, “This work, in conjunction with other studies published in the past two years, is creating a compelling argument for the application of this technique to clinical use. I hope that by the end of the decade this simple, cheap, safe and effective tool will be in use across the country."
Dr Edroos' investigations, which are funded by the newly established NIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Cardiovascular Disease, will also include studies of the potential benefit of this treatment in patients who have diabetesA disorder caused by insufficient or absent production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas, or because the tissues are resistant to the effects. or high cholesterolA substance present in many tissues and an important constituent of cell membranes although high concentrations of a certain type of cholesterol in the blood are unhealthy., as these are at higher risk of damage to the heart. He will also look at the differences between men and women as early results suggest there may be gender differences in the response to this treatment.
Heart attacks are the major cause of premature death in England, with massive implications for survival and costs of long-term health care.
