Nov. 05, 2003 - 20:27 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Hopeful

Looking for good news gives a bonus when found. There is an article in our paper, The Rocky Mountain News today by Lindsey Tanner of the Associated Press which gives as a source The Journal of the American Medical Association: Experion Theraputics Inc.

"Cleaning Arteries."

"Intravenous doses of a synthetic component of 'good' cholestrol reduced artery disease in just six weeks in a small study with startlingly big implications for treating the nation's No. 1 killer."

"The concept is sort of liquid Drano for the coronary arteries," said Dr. Steven Nissen, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist who led the study His findings stem from an unusual discovery about 25 years ago in the northern Italian village of Limone Sul Gardia. Italian researchers found that 40 residents there had very low HDL levels, yet paradoxically had low rates of coronary artery disease. Lab tests revealed a likely explanation: All had a gene variation in a key protein component of HDL. The variation contributed to larger-than-normal HDL particles, which is believed to make HDL cholestrol especially efficient at removing plaque."

"Scientists made a synthetic form of the protein, which was found to reduce plaque buildups rapidly in mice and rabbits."

"The product was first tested and shown to be safe for use in humans. This latest round of experiments is the first time the substance has been used to actually treat narrowing of the arteries in people."

"In the study, 36 patients who had had heart attacks or severe chest pain received weekly intravenous infusions of the substance for five weeks. Eleven patients received dummy treatments.

"At six weeks, imaging tests showed the patients receiving the synthetic protein had a visible 4 per cent reduction in plaque buildup in their coronary arteries. There was no significant change in the placebo group."

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Of course I realize that doesn't mean that there will be over the counter medications in a year, or a decent co-pay medical program soon. There is still testing going on, especially to see what the long term effects are. Nor has it been established the length of time those infusions will be needed to clear up the plaque.

It does seem to me though that our medical researchers are truly on the ball and coming up with some very amazing treatments for our ills. 'Cleaning Arteries,' can radically change the prospects of longer healthy lives for many of us, I am very Hopeful . . . . . . . . . . .

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