Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
30 August 2017 09:07
A new drug may carry a boost for heart attack and cancer patients
A study has discovered that a new drug could help cut cancer deaths, as well as potentially reduce the risk of heart attacks.
More than 10,000 patients, all of whom had previously had a heart attack but had not been diagnosed with cancer, took part in a trial using the anti-inflammatory Canakinumab.
They were treated once every three months and monitored for four years.
Milestone in a long journey
It was found that there was a 15% reduction in the risk of heart attacks and strokes, while cancer deaths were cut in half.
Commenting on the study, which was presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona, Dr Paul Ridker of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston said it "represents a milestone in a long journey".
"For the first time, we've been able to definitively show that lowering inflammation independent of cholesterol reduces cardiovascular risk," he said.
"This has far-reaching implications. It tells us that by leveraging an entirely new way to treat patients - targeting inflammation - we may be able to significantly improve outcomes for certain very high-risk populations."
He added that further research is needed into the drug's effects on cancer.
A platform for the future
Gary Gibbons, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, said the results provide a platform on which to carry out further trials and research.
He added that while the trial offers "compelling evidence" that targeting inflammation efficacy is preventing recurrent cardiovascular events, the Institute is also looking forward to findings from additional trials, including the NHLBI-funded Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial, to help further refine the best therapeutic strategies for preventing heart disease.
People who have undergone cancer treatment in the past can arrange specialist medical travel insurance when taking holidays.
21 September 2018
UK holidaymakers could be missing out on more than 60 direct flight routes thanks to Air Passenger Duty (APD), a report suggests.
[more...]
20 September 2018
Living in areas with high levels of air pollution could be linked to an increased risk of dementia, new research suggests.
19 September 2018
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are shelling out tens of thousands of pounds for care - and many are unable to cover the costs, a leading charity has warned.
18 September 2018
As much as £6 of every £10 spent on domestic flights in the UK goes on Air Passenger Duty (APD), new research suggests.
15 September 2018
UK driving licences might become invalid in certain European countries if the UK crashes out of the EU with no deal, the Government has warned.
14 September 2018
Online crowdfunding for cancer treatments is indirectly advancing the rise of alternative "quack" therapies, experts have warned.
13 September 2018
A "wee-stick" like those used in pregnancy testing could be employed to prevent thousands of deaths from ovarian cancer.
11 September 2018
As many as 1.3 million passengers endured severe flight delays in the last year, a new study reveals.
08 September 2018
British Airways customers are cancelling their credit cards after the carrier was hit by a 15-day data breach that compromised the details of around 380,000 people.
06 September 2018
Plastic trays at security desks harbour the highest numbers of viruses at airports, new research has discovered.
05 September 2018
Adults are being urged to take advantage of a new online tool to find out if they are at risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
04 September 2018
Child cancer patients regularly have to travel twice as far and pay out twice as much when getting treatment, new data shows.