Less Damage From Heart Attacks For People On This Forum?

[Tachy Phlegming]

From:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

Repeated Inflations Of A Blood Pressure Cuff Limits Tissue Damage In Patients With AMI

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology

Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials; Stroke

Article Date: 26 Feb 2010 - 6:00 PST

Repeated lack of oxygen for short periods of time in a distant organ by stopping blood flow, can protect another organ (e.g. the heart), during a subsequent tissue damaging period due to oxygen deficiency. The principle can be applied before predictable oxygen deficiency during heart surgery. However, in most patients heart attacks are unpredictable. In this randomized single-blinded trial, the investigators tried to determine whether remote ischemic conditioning during evolving myocardial infarction could have a protective effect and decrease heart tissue damage in patients later undergoing acute balloon dilatation .

A total of 333 Danish patients were assigned to receive remote conditioning or no conditioning during ambulance transportation to the hospital for acute balloon dilatation. In the group receiving remote conditioning a blood pressure cuff was placed on the upper arm and inflated to 200 mmHg for 5 minutes to stop blood supply to the arm, and then released for another 5 minutes to restore blood flow. The procedure was repeated 4 times during transportation.

On average the amount of heart tissue saved was 30% higher in patients receiving remote conditioning compared to those receiving standard care. This increased to 50% among those with the highest amount of heart tissue threatened by coronary occlusion. Limitation of tissue damage resulted in improved heart function during hospitalization.

The underlying mechanisms are thought to be activation of protective systems in the heart. This induces resistance to tissue damage during lack of oxygen in particular when opening the occluded artery by balloon dilatation. The investigators characterize the treatment as inexpensive and promising, and predict that it will have widespread potential for the treatment of not only heart attack but also other diseases such as stroke. However, larger studies are needed to establish the precise benefits in patients. It also needs to be clarified whether the new treatment can reduce mortality and development of heart failure following a heart attack.

The study was conducted by a transatlantic research team at Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Denmark, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK and the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada. The study was supported by a grant from Fondation Leducq.

(Just make sure you continue to have that cuff on your arm if you're en route to the hospital for heart attack symptoms!)

[erik]

I tend to have my BP cuff on or at hand often enough, so I'll be prepared in case something comes up.

I'm tempted to make further comment (a number of jokes come to mind), but am opting for better judgment

[Tachy Phlegming]

Aw, come on ... we'll live without the better judgment (at least when that involves withholding jokes) ... and live better with the laugh.

In anticipation, .

[Guest tearose]

Oh no, I have left arm lymphedema...it is unclear if it would be good for me.

I should wear a medical alert bracelet...

I will just have to stay heart healthy and not need this intervention!

[erik]

Yeah, I was thinking I should get a medical alert bracelet too. Best to state precisely which useless organs to constrict and which to preserve.

[lieze]

When I'm feeling really bad and take my blood pressure and I get 92/50 pulse 80 I think OMG I'm going to live to be 100 and still be dealing with this crap!

lieze

[flop]

Just taking a regular BP reading wouldn't have the same effect. With a normal reading the cuff only goes up a certain amount above our systolic pressure and it starts to deflate almost immediately. Having a BP cuff at 200mmHg is really painful, but keeping it at that pressure for a full 5 minutes must be horrid!

Flop

[erik]

True. Need the old school manual cuff (or a hacked electronic one) and a high tolerance for pain/discomfort. But priorities and pain tolerance change when in an urgent care situation! The manual ones are pretty cheap. I had one first, but didn't have the patience to deal with it so gave it away (if I hadn't I might have spotted my POTS earlier). While they're at it they can also look for muscle twitching/cramping in the starved area... as an indirect sign of potentially low Mg levels.