Oxygen-Saturated Blood Reduces Levels Of Damaged Heart Tissue Following A Heart Attack

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: Blood / Hematology
Article Date: 24 Oct 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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Late-breaking data presented at TCT 2007, the scientific symposium of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), show that an infusion of blood that is "supersaturated" with oxygen (SSO2) can reduce the amount of damaged heart muscle following a heart attack.

Despite successful reperfusion -- or restoration of blood flow to the heart with angioplasty following a heart attack -- there is often an area of infarction, or damaged heart muscle caused by the death of cells due to the interruption of oxygen carrying blood.

In the AMIHOT II trial, investigators led by Gregg W. Stone, MD, Chairman, Cardiovascular Research Foundation and Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center sought to determine the efficacy and safety of infusing SSO2 into the previously blocked artery after an angioplasty procedure.

"Among high-risk patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction (heart attack) undergoing successful angioplasty within 6 hours of symptom onset, infusion of SSO2 into the myocardial infarct territory results in a significant reduction in the size of the 'infarct zone,' the amount of damaged heart tissue," Stone said.

The AMIHOT II trial was conducted with 304 patients randomized at 20 sites in four countries.

Data from the study show that the size of the "infarct zone" was 6.5 percent lower in the patients treated with SSO2 than in control patients who did not receive the therapy.

In addition, at 30 days after the treatment, the rates of Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) were statistically equivalent between the two groups.

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About CRF and TCT

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) in New York City is an independent, non-profit academic institution dedicated to improving the survival and quality of life of patients with cardiovascular disease through research and education. For more than 15 years, CRF has played a major role in realizing dramatic improvements in the lives of patients by establishing the safe use of new technologies and therapies in the subspecialty of interventional cardiology and endovascular medicine.

The Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, conducted by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, is a global gathering of physicians, researchers, technologists, and industry colleagues working in the field of interventional vascular medicine. It is the world's largest privately-run medical conference, attended by more than 10,000 participants each year and featuring the video transmission of more than 100 live patient cases from medical centers around the world. Including lectures, discussion panels, and workshops on the latest clinical findings and cutting-edge technologies, TCT educates medical professionals to ensure that the work of physicians and researchers is translated into improved patient care.

For more information, please visit http://www.ccrf.org/.

Source: Irma Damhuis
Cardiovascular Research Foundation

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