Intentional heart attack can cure certain congenital heart defects, says a report Circulation tomorrow . In patients with a hereditary heart problem specific, doctors induced a mild heart attack to kill the abnormally swollen tissue, and in most cases, patients have improved. But other cardiologists warn that even a small heart attack could lead to more problems later.
People who suffer from hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (CMO) has a tissue proliferation that partially blocks the exit of the left ventricle. This leads to shortness of breath, rapid irregular heartbeat and fainting. In the most severe cases, patients can die suddenly from overwork. Doctors sometimes cut the obstruction, but a less invasive method has been tried recently. By injecting the alcohol into the heart muscle, the cardiologist can poison a section of invaded the cardiac muscle, the narrowing and obstruction.
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of this treatment, William Spencer and colleagues from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston injected alcohol into the heart of the 33 patients with severe symptoms OHO. The injection causes the tissue to shrink and scar. "It seems as if a surgeon had gone and cut this area off," says Spencer. Within 6 weeks, patients could walk for 50% longer on a treadmill than they could before. Moreover, blocking fell by an average of 28%. No adverse effects were observed up to 6 months after the procedure. the researchers believe that ethanol injection "is potentially a new landmark in the treatment of this disease. "
other experts are more cautious. Barry Maron, a cardiologist at the Foundation of the Heart Institute of Minneapolis, called promising and useful technique in certain cases. But he warned that any attack heart is dangerous for the heart and can lead to worsening of arrhythmia and other complications. "There is much, much too early to say what should replace surgery," he said.
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