Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Faster treatment for patients at risk of sudden death
Faster and more appropriate treatment for patients at risk of sudden death is the outcome of a new imaging technique developed by cardiologists at Royal Brompton Hospital, according to research supported by the British Heart Foundation and published this week in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The technique can reveal the presence and extent of scar tissue on the hearts of people with a life-threatening condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
DCM is the second most common cause of heart failure in the UK, with more than 11,000 people developing the condition every year.
By detecting the scar tissue, cardiologists involved in the research were able to better determine the risk of hospitalisation or death and could therefore ensure patients received timely, appropriate care for their individual needs.
The cardiologists found that scar tissue, known as midwall fibrosis, occurs in approximately 30% of patients with DCM and that these patients are three times more likely to be hospitalised or die suddenly.
Lead researcher, consultant cardiologist at Royal Brompton and professor of cardiology at Imperial College London, Professor Dudley Pennell, explains: “Prior to this technique, we found it difficult to identify which patients with DCM were at greater risk than others without using invasive procedures.
"Therefore, it was difficult to decide which patients could be treated effectively using drugs alone, and which patients needed life-saving devices implanted."
The technique developed by cardiologists involves injecting a dye called gadolinium into a vein in patients prior to having an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan.
The gadolinium sticks more in the scar tissue than the surrounding tissue because scar tissue has a lower blood supply than normal tissue. The special magnetic properties of gadolinium makes scar tissue appear brightly on the scan and very easy to detect.
The research team studied 101 patients with and without scar tissue for approximately two years to determine the affect of scar tissue on the patients' health outcomes.
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of BHF, said: "In this BHF-supported study, magnetic imaging has provided a crucial window on why some people with DCM are at high risk of dangerous heart rhythm disturbances.
"This is an important advance that will help doctors prevent lives being lost to the condition."
The technique can reveal the presence and extent of scar tissue on the hearts of people with a life-threatening condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
DCM is the second most common cause of heart failure in the UK, with more than 11,000 people developing the condition every year.
By detecting the scar tissue, cardiologists involved in the research were able to better determine the risk of hospitalisation or death and could therefore ensure patients received timely, appropriate care for their individual needs.
The cardiologists found that scar tissue, known as midwall fibrosis, occurs in approximately 30% of patients with DCM and that these patients are three times more likely to be hospitalised or die suddenly.
Lead researcher, consultant cardiologist at Royal Brompton and professor of cardiology at Imperial College London, Professor Dudley Pennell, explains: “Prior to this technique, we found it difficult to identify which patients with DCM were at greater risk than others without using invasive procedures.
"Therefore, it was difficult to decide which patients could be treated effectively using drugs alone, and which patients needed life-saving devices implanted."
The technique developed by cardiologists involves injecting a dye called gadolinium into a vein in patients prior to having an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan.
The gadolinium sticks more in the scar tissue than the surrounding tissue because scar tissue has a lower blood supply than normal tissue. The special magnetic properties of gadolinium makes scar tissue appear brightly on the scan and very easy to detect.
The research team studied 101 patients with and without scar tissue for approximately two years to determine the affect of scar tissue on the patients' health outcomes.
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of BHF, said: "In this BHF-supported study, magnetic imaging has provided a crucial window on why some people with DCM are at high risk of dangerous heart rhythm disturbances.
"This is an important advance that will help doctors prevent lives being lost to the condition."
