METfoRmin and its Effects on MyOcardial DimEnsion and Left ventricular hypertrophy in Normotensive Patients with Coronary Artery Disease (MET-REMODEL Trial)
Blood enters the left side of the heart from the lungs, and the left side of the heart pumps it all round the body. High blood pressure can cause the left side of the heart to become enlarged because it works harder to get blood round the body – this is called left ventricular hypertrophy, or LVH. People who have coronary heart disease alongside LVH are likely to be very unwell. This project may reveal a new way of treating them using a drug which is already used widely in the clinic. We know that high blood pressure isn’t the only cause of LVH – obesity and insulin resistance (where the body becomes resistant to the actions of insulin, which ordinarily helps control blood sugar) may also cause LVH. The BHF has now awarded a grant to Professor Chim Lang to investigate the drug metformin as a treatment for LVH caused by these factors. Metformin is a drug given to people with type 2 diabetes. As well as affecting blood glucose levels, it has been observed to stimulate an enzyme called AMPK, which may also reverse LVH. Professor Lang will find out if metformin can lower insulin resistance, cause weight loss and even reverse LVH. It may reveal a new way to treat people with these conditions – helping them live longer with a better quality of life.
Project details
| Grant amount | £265,908 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 October 2014 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/14/4/30539 |
| Status | Complete |
