Use of remote ischemic conditioning to improve outcome after myocardial infarction

Abstract

The invention provides methods for reducing the incidence and / or severity and / or delaying the onset of heart dysfunction / failure and improving overall survival through the use of remote ischemic per-conditioning and post-conditioning.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61 / 319,597, filed on Mar. 31, 2010, entitled “USE OF REMOTE ISCHEMIC CONDITIONING TO REDUCE HEART DYSFUNCTION AND / OR HEART FAILURE AFTER MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Survivors of myocardial infarction (MI) are at significant risk of heart dysfunction / failure resulting from myocardial remodeling resulting from the MI. This remodeling is associated with poor long-term prognosis, with patients with post-MI congestive heart failure reportedly at a 10-fold higher risk of death as shown in a 5 year follow up study. Treatment of myocardial infarction has concentrated on reducing the period of ischemia and minimizing injury that occurs during post-ischemic reperfusion. Thus, many therapies have aimed to reduce the size of the heart infarct as much as possible or to prevent its occurrence altogethe...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]Thus, in one aspect, the invention provides a method comprising performing a repeated RIC regimen on a subject during and / or after an MI. The method may be a method for improving the overall outcome of a subject following MI, including but not limited to reducing the risk of heart dysfunction / failure following an MI, reducing the incidence, frequency and / or severity of the symptoms associated with heart dysfunction / failure following an MI, and / or delaying the onset of heart dysfunction / failure or its associated symptoms, including but not limited to exercise limitation, arrhythmia, and sudden unexpected death following MI. These methods comprise, in another aspect, performing a repeated RIC regimen on a subject having an MI, wherein a first RIC regimen is performed during and / or after (including shortly after) the MI and one or more subsequent RIC regimens are performed at least every 7, every 6, every 5, every 4, every 3, or every 2 days, or every day after the first RIC regimen.

Problems solved by technology

Survivors of myocardial infarction (MI) are at significant risk of heart dysfunction / failure resulting from myocardial remodeling resulting from the MI.

This remodeling is associated with poor long-term prognosis, with patients with post-MI congestive heart failure reportedly at a 10-fold higher risk of death as shown in a 5 year follow up study.

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