In a new Canadian breakthrough study, the researchers from the University of Alberta revealed how a peptide known as apelin reduces the risks of abdominal aortic aneurysms and, therefore, decreasing the mortality risks in mice subjects. According to the scientists behind this new research, the same peptide might entire treat that cardiovascular disease soon when reliable medications based on apelin would come out.
As the new study showed, apelin increases the body’s natural defense systems and helps protect against cardiovascular diseases and also aids subjects with already-installed heart conditions. John Vederas and Zamaneh Kassiri, both scientists at the University of Alberta, observed that none of the mice subjects treated with apelin died of abdominal aortic aneurysm, while those untreated mice presented higher mortality.
For humans, the current treatment for an abdominal aortic aneurysm condition is based only on lifestyle and dietary changes, such as adopting a healthy diet and quitting smoking and alcohol consumption, or surgical interventions.
Canadian Breakthrough Study Revealed A Medical Treatment For Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Since there are no medical treatments for abdominal aortic aneurysm, the discovery made by the researchers from the University of Alberta is a crucial breakthrough. “We’ve become very good at blocking the bad guys [hormones and substances that we must reduce to be healthier], particularly using drugs like ACE inhibitors or beta blockers, to treat symptoms,” said Gavin Oudit, the study’s leading author.
“But our research has focused on developing a method to enhance the good guys [natural substances that boost health, such as apelin peptide], to make them work better and protect people from cardiovascular disease in the first place, including heart attacks and heart failure.”
Accordingly, the Canadian breakthrough study proves essential also for curing other cardiovascular diseases besides the abdominal aortic aneurysm condition. “We’re on a mission to get this to patients as soon as possible. It’s exciting because we completely drove the discovery and design of these apelin analogs,” Oudit added.
