RR Phantom
Location : Wasted Space Job/hobbies : Cayman Islands Actuary
| Subject: Drug breakthrough could change heart failure treatment Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:11 am | |
| MEDICATION that greatly lowers the heart rate can cut by a quarter the chance people with heart failure will die from the progressive condition, according to research that experts expect will change standard treatment.
The drug, ivabradine, lowered heart rate to an average 65 beats a minute from a starting point of 80, compared with a reduction to 75 beats in those taking a placebo pill, according to the results of the Swedish-led research on more than 6500 mainly middle-aged heart failure patients.
The therapy was given in addition to standard blood-pressure lowering treatment - mainly beta-blocker drugs - to bring the heart rate down to the lower end of the 60 to 80 range considered normal.
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