Early Intervention Can Halt Heart Damage

U.S. researchers found treating people before they have cardiovascular abnormalities but show no symptoms can slow progression or reverse heart disease.

University of Minnesota researchers performed a double-blind study of 76 asymptomatic subjects with early markers for cardiovascular disease, based on the 10-factor Rasmussen Disease Score. The 10 tests in the Rasmussen Disease Score include: large and small artery elasticity; resting and treadmill exercise blood pressure; carotid artery initial-media thickness; retinal vascular photography; micro-albuminuria; electrocardiography; echocardiography; and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide blood levels.

During the first six months of the study, 38 subjects received a placebo and the other 38 subjects took 160 mg of Valsartan, a drug that blocks a hormone that is detrimental to the blood vessels and the heart. During the next six months, both groups took Valsartan.

The study participants who took the drug for the first six months significantly reduced their Rasmussen Disease Score compared with those who took the placebo. At the 12-month mark — all took the drug — every patient showed better Rasmussen Disease Scores, effectively demonstrating that Valsartan can slow progression and even reverse early cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic high-risk patients, reported the study published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology.