FED:Heart beat a new way to tackle disease

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2010
FED:Heart beat a new way to tackle disease

Eds: Embargoed to 1900 (AEST), Sunday, August 29.



By Danny Rose, Medical Writer

SYDNEY, Aug 29 AAP - Doctors may soon have an additional way to combat cardiovascular
disease, after a major study has identified the important role played by heart rate.

The research, detailed at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Stockholm,
involved more than 6,000 cardiovascular disease patients from 37 countries including Australia.

It found that those who took a drug that lowered their heart rate to less than 70 beats
per minute, in addition to their usual medications, had a 26 per cent reduced risk of
hospitalisation or death.

Professor Henry Krum, from Melbourne's Monash Centre of Cardiovascular Research, said
it was a breakthrough result.

"Heart failure in this country is big and serious," said Prof Krum, who oversaw Australia's
contribution to the research.

"This will change medical practice and treatment guidelines ... The best part is: it
will change the outlook for patients with heart failure."

Conventional treatments for cardiovascular disease focus on blood pressure, not heart
rate, while also reducing cholesterol and making lifestyle changes.

Study co-chairman Professor Karl Swedberg, of Sweden's Gothenberg University, said
the research showed a "high heart rate is bad for heart failure patients".

"So, we should routinely measure heart rate in all heart failure patients and if it
is above 70 beats per minute, selective heart rate lowering with additional treatment
should be considered."

The research is also published The Lancet online, on Sunday.

AAP dr/cdh

KEYWORD: HEART (EMBARGOED)

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