Novartis drug Diovan cuts heart-damaging protein

ZURICH (Reuters) – A study released by Swiss drug giant
Novartis shows that its big-selling blood-pressure pill Diovan
also reduces a potentially damaging protein produced during
heart attacks and traumatic accidents.

Diovan, one of the biggest-selling hypertension treatments
worldwide, cuts so-called C reactive proteins (CRP),
inflammation-causing substances produced in large amounts in
the body after a heart attack.

The new findings, released on Friday, come from the largest
clinical trial to date conducted in a range of moderate to
severe high blood pressure patients to investigate whether a
blood pressure medication can also lower CRP.

The study showed that Diovan not only lowers blood pressure
effectively but also cuts CRP.

Heart attacks are a leading cause of death in developed
countries. Patients often survive an attack but if there is
extensive damage they are more likely to suffer heart failure.

Everyone has CRP but it is normally at low levels. When a
person has a heart attack there is a dramatic rise in the
protein. The more CRP, the poorer the prognosis.

CRP levels also rise sharply during trauma, strokes,
infection and chronic illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Up to now, cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins were
among the few treatments known to lower damaging CRP.

Novartis will release further study details at an American
Society of Hypertension (ASH) meeting in New York later on
Friday.