Wednesday, January 26
Cardiac Gene Therapy Trial --
The idea of a new heart study is to inject the hear with new genes to help stimulate the growth of new blood vessels where old ones have collapsed.
"I had some blockage, 80% in one artery, 60% in another and 40% in another."
James Yerkes is only 58 years old. He's already had two heart attacks, an angioplasty and triple bypass surgery. But the blockages lingered while only limited blood flow got through to his heart.
Dr. Gary Schaer Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab of the Rush University Medical Center explains, "Our objective here is to allow whatever existing blood flow there is through these small arteries to bud and grow and actually bring more blood supply to the heart muscle that is not getting enough.Their hearts are not getting enough blood, they are not getting enough oxygen."
So they are experiencing plenty of pain. With very little pain, doctors at Rush University Medical Center thread a catheter through the leg and into the heart muscle.
"Let's say for example this is the area of the heart muscle that is not getting enough blood and oxygen. We'll advance our catheter into the heart muscle, turn it and find that one little area where there is not enough blood and oxygen."
Six injections in all deliver the DNA doctors hope will help the body produce the growth factor, VEG-F, that will translate into new blood supply to the heart.
"We don't know if this therapy will make them live longer, but we believe this approach by growing new blood vessels, bringing more blood and oxygen to the heart muscle, that we can get people feeling better and being more active."
Patients don't know exactly what will happen because this is a blind trial which means they don't know who is getting gene therapy and who is not. The FDA approved the active drug for 3 out of 4 patients.
They will all undergo a scan in a few months to determine the exact benefit of the gene therapy and the extend of new blood vessel growth.
For more information:
Rush University Medical Center
Cardiac Gene Therapy Trial
(312) 942-3391
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