Research says: Anemia Drug might Aid Recovery After a Heart-Attack

According to new research drugs that are undergoing development to treat anemia (lack of blood) could be re purposed to help prevent heart failure in people suffering from type-2 diabetes.

Researchers found that after a heart attack, a protein called HIF acts to help heart cells survive.

The people that have diabetes, their fats accumulate within the heart muscle and stop the HIF protein from becoming active. This further means that a person is more likely to suffer lasting heart muscle damage and develop a heart failure after a heart attack.

A researcher said: After a heart attack, people with Type-2 diabetes are more likely to develop heart failure more quickly, but we have not fully understood the reasons why that is the case,”

He further added: “What we have shown with this research is that the metabolism of people with Type-2 diabetes means they have higher levels of fatty acids in the heart. This prevents signals going to the heart-protective protein telling it to ‘kick-in’ after a heart attack,”

In the study, a team treated diabetic rats with a drug known to activate the HIF protein and they successfully encouraged the heart to recover after a heart attack.

Though, these primary results suggest that several drugs known to activate HIF and currently undergoing phase-iii clinical trials to treat people with anemia could potentially be given to people with diabetes, immediately after a heart attack in the future.

However, it will be confirmed if the same benefits are seen in humans as well.