Compound improves cardiac function in mice with genetic heart defect, study finds
Friday, February 21, 2014 - 06:01
in Health & Medicine
Congenital heart disease is the most common form of birth defect. Researchers recently found success using a drug to treat laboratory mice with one form of congenital heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -- a weakening of the heart caused by abnormally thick muscle. By suppressing a faulty protein, the researchers reduced the thickness of the mice's heart muscles and improved their cardiac functioning. Because of the role the protein plays in signaling heart growth, the authors believe the research could be translated in the future into improved treatments for other types of heart disease, such as damage caused by heart attack.