BLACKSBURG, Va – Proteins fighting heart disease. Cardiovascular scientists have discovered a potential new treatment for heart failure.
Researchers at the Center For Vascular And Heart Research At The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute At Virginia Tech found the PERM1 protein helped improve cardiac function in healthy mice.
“Six million people have heart failure in the United States, and half of the patients die within five years after diagnosis, so that means the current therapy is not good enough,” said Junco Warren, an Assistant Professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. “Systolic heart failure happens when the heart muscle gets weak, and also the mitochondria is not working well to produce energy enough for the heart to work.”
The perm one protein was shown to both strengthen the heart and regulate its energy output, something no other therapy can do currently.
According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in Virginia.
Scientists at tech plan to further study this protein in failing hearts to see if it has the same effect.
