Protein Does Not Indicate Heart Failure Risk, Study Finds

A recent study has found that certain proteins are not an early indication of heart failure among patients as previously thought. A study published in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown than monitoring the protein biomarker molecule brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients suffering from heart disease were at the same risk for heart failure as patients who did not monitor the protein.

Researchers challenged the previously held notion that the BNP protein could offer early warning signs to sufferers of heart disease prior to a heart failure incident, however, the study found that the "BNP-monitored therapy guidance generally did not improve 18-month survival or quality of life over conventional symptom-guided therapy."

According to an article from HealthDay Reporter, BNP is a "protein produced by stressed heart cells, for better management of heart failure," especially among older individuals aged 60 and up, who suffer from chronic heart disease. Although the study found slight improvement was found with people between the ages of 60 to 74, the results were not considered adequate to develop a therapy to treat and prevent heart failure. Additionally, people 75 years or older did not show any signs of improvement with the symptom-guided treatment.

Heart Failure Details.

Heart failure is also known as congestive heart failure (CHF) and is medically defined as a "condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to the body's other organs," according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Although many reasons contribute to the onset of heart failure or CHF, the AHA has reported the following as the most common:

- infection of the heart valves.
- infection of the heart muscle.
- heart defects stemming from birth such as congenital heart defects.
- high blood pressure.
- narrowed arteries such as coronary artery disease.
- previous heart attacks or myocardial infarction.
- heart valve disease.
- cardiomyopathy.

Medical and Prescription Dangers.

An increasing number of factors can contribute to heart disease resulting in heart failure in many patients. One of the more common heart-failure triggers to hit the market is that of Avandia, a type 2 diabetes drug that has been associated with multiple side effects including the onset of heart disease/heart failure among patients. The drug, from GlaxoSmithKline, was released to the public in May 1999 and has since been the subject of a number of studies that have determined the drug to be an increasing cause of heart disease.

Patients should consider switching to another type 2 diabetes medication or discontinue the drug if they have suffered from Avandia side effects not limited to heart failure or heart disease. Consulting a physician will assist a victim in overcoming these potentially dangerous Avandia risks. Additionally, it may be wise for a patient of Avandia to contact an experienced Avandia attorney for more information on developing an Avandia class action lawsuit, which may result in a victim earning monetary compensation for the damages incurred..


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Learn more about Avandia side effects including the risk of heart disease at http://avandia.legalview.com/. Information about finding a potential Avandia attorney or other pertinent legal issues can be found at http://www.LegalView.info/.