New Hope for Patients with Aortic Stenosis and Cardiac Amyloidosis
Dual therapy for patients with advanced heart disease can significantly increase their chances of survival. Combining surgical aortic valve replacement with tafamidis therapy produces the best results in patients who simultaneously suffer from aortic stenosis and cardiac amyloidosis. These are the conclusions of an international study led by experts from Vienna and London.
A research team from MedUni Vienna and University College London has announced an important discovery regarding the treatment of severe heart disease in the elderly. Their results have been published in the prestigious European Heart Journal. As it turns out, patients suffering from both aortic valve stenosis and cardiac amyloidosis can benefit significantly from two simultaneous treatments: surgical valve replacement and amyloidosis-specific therapy.
Aortic stenosis is a condition in which blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body is obstructed, and amyloidosis is a disease in which abnormal proteins build up in the heart muscle. Both conditions are more common in older people and can lead to heart failure and even death. The problem is that patients have been treated mainly with surgery, ignoring the presence of amyloidosis.
The study analyzed data from 226 patients from 10 different countries. The results were clear:
"Our results even show that patients with both conditions who underwent valve replacement and therapy for specific amyloidosis had similar long-term survival rates as those with aortic stenosis without amyloidosis," said Christian Nitsche, one of the study's principal investigators.
The best results were observed in patients who received both forms of treatment – surgery and the drug tafamidis, which is used to treat amyloidosis. This therapy can significantly slow the progression of the disease, which, in combination with mechanical treatment, gives a real chance of prolonging life.
The researchers point out that about 10% of patients with aortic stenosis also have amyloidosis, but it often goes undiagnosed. This is a huge gap in medical care.
"Our findings also suggest that patients with severe aortic valve stenosis should be screened for amyloidosis so that we can offer them targeted treatment options that prolong life," Nitsche added.
A new approach to treatment offers a real chance to improve the quality and length of life of elderly patients, who until now were often condemned to therapy limited to only one condition. Thanks to research from Vienna and London, a more comprehensive approach to cardiovascular problems in seniors is now possible
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