Examining the direct vascular actions of the Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Analogue Liraglutide in obese patients with coronary atherosclerosis
Liraglutide is a medicine that’s used to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. However, a recent study revealed that Liraglutide also cuts the risk of heart attacks in diabetic people. A heart attack occurs when fatty plaques build up in the walls of the arteries supplying the heart, and then rupture, allowing a blood clot to form. These Dr Antoniades and his team believe that Liraglutide protects the arteries of the heart. They therefore think that it could be a useful medicine for reducing heart disease in those at high risk of heart attacks, such as patients who are obese. When healthy arteries become diseased, changes take place to the way the cells that line the artery wall work. This leads to inflammation of the artery wall, and allows fatty plaques to build up. The Oxford team believes that – along with its other effects – Liraglutide acts directly on the cells in the artery wall to prevent inflammation. They will study the effects of Liraglutide on blood vessel samples from people who are obese and are having heart bypass surgery. They will focus on studying the molecular processes that contribute to the build-up of diseased plaques. This research will reveal whether Liraglutide can exert direct protective effects on the walls of arteries in people who are obese. It will provide evidence for a clinical trial to see if the medicine can improve artery health, and prevent heart attacks in people at high risk.
Project details
| Grant amount | £214,872 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Fellowships |
| Application type | Clinical Research Training Fellowship |
| Start Date | 01 January 1900 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | FS/17/80/33317 |
| Status | Complete |
