Using fibrate drugs to improve heart function

The effect of altering myocardial lipid content on cardiac physiology in patients with aortic stenosis (Dr Shveta Monga)

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the narrowing of the valve opening of the major artery in the heart. This limits blood flow through the valve, meaning the heart has to pump harder. Research has shown that people with AS tend to have fatty deposits in the heart muscle, caused by a breakdown in the normal processes that metabolise fat, called cardiac steatosis. In this fellowship, Dr Mahmod is conducting a study to help understand how these fatty deposits cause changes to heart muscle. To do this, they are using drugs called fibrates that reduce the amount of fat circulating in the blood. They are investigating whether these drugs can reduce cardiac steatosis, and whether this affects the heart’s ability to pump. People living with cardiac steatosis will be randomly chosen to receive either the fibrate drug or a placebo. The team will then measure the amount of fatty deposits in the heart using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans before and after 6 months of treatment. The hope is that the fibrates will reverse the build-up of fats in the heart and will lead to better heart function and quality of life for people affected by aortic stenosis.