Kidney drug can boost treatment outcomes for heart attack patients

An international team of researchers, led by one of Indian origin, has demonstrated that a drug used to treat kidney diseases can be safely administered to patients who are hospitalised for acute myocardial infarction -- heart attack. 

The team led by Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital demonstrated that the drug empagliflozin can reliably lower heart failure episodes in individuals who have had a heart attack, regardless of the patient's pre-existing renal function.

Acute heart attack patients are particularly vulnerable to acute renal injury because of prolonged exposure to kidney stressors, such as diuretics or contrast agents used during cardiac catheterisation.

Because of this danger, doctors are hesitant to start empagliflozin soon after a heart attack because there is little data regarding this class of drug's safety in this particular clinical setting. The drug can block the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 protein that aids in the kidneys' ability to reabsorb glucose from the blood.

Deepak L. Bhatt, Director of the Hospital said the finding will contribute to closing a significant knowledge gap on the clinical application of Empagliflozin in heart attack survivors.

The trial randomised 6,522 patients with acute heart attack and increased heart failure risk to empagliflozin or placebo. Empagliflozin reduced hospitalisation and adverse events of heart failure, with consistent risk reductions across baseline kidney function.

Adverse event rates were similar in both groups within 30 days after drug intake, regardless of baseline kidney function, systolic blood pressure, or other medical therapies.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, and heart attacks are a major contributor to this.

The team noted that the study has significant implications for treating a very vulnerable population of patients with cardiovascular disease globally by reassuring doctors of the safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin early after a heart attack.

The results were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London.