Do dual anti-platelet treatments (DAPTs) protect the coronary microcirculation of the injured and diabetic heart?
A heart attack happens when a blood clot blocks a coronary artery – a blood vessel supplying the heart muscle with blood. A stent is usually inserted into the affected artery to allow blood flow to be restored (reperfusion). Two drugs are administered to stop the stent from becoming blocked and prevent another heart attack. This treatment, called dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT), involves aspirin and a drug called a P2Y12 inhibitor. Even though DAPT is effective, heart muscle damage, which leads to heart failure, still occurs in many people, and the damage is worse in people with type 2 diabetes. This could be because even after allowing blood back into the starved area, the blood flow is inadequate in the small blood vessels of the heart – the coronary microcirculation. Using a technique called intravital microscopy, Dr Kalia at the University of Birmingham has shown that there are many blood clots blocking the microcirculation of mice hearts in the immediate aftermath of reperfusion. Dr Kalia will now lead a project to find out which, if any, of four different DAPTs are able to keep the coronary microcirculation open in mice. The researchers will also test which treatment(s) are effective in a mouse model of a diabetic heart, as well as testing alternative therapies. This research could help us ensure the microcirculation remains open in people following a heart attack, therefore reducing heart muscle damage and improving outcomes for diabetic people.
Project details
| Grant amount | £257,151 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 January 1900 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/19/85/34776 |
| Status | In Progress |
