The drug ‘ MC-1 given before and after bypass surgery does not appear to lower the risk of heart attack or death according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association .
The drug is a naturally occurring byproduct of vitamin B6.
Of bypass surgery the authors write,” It is the most commonly performed cardiac surgical procedure in the world, and in 2005, more than 250 000 CABG procedures were performed in the United States.” While noting that complications and death from these operations has declined ove time, the authors stress that “serious complications including myocardial infarction (MI), recurrent angina, ventricular failure, serious arrhythmias, renal insufficiency, stroke, and death” continue to be serious problems, especially for higher risk patients.
“Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is frequently performed and effective; however, perioperative complications related to ischemia-reperfusion injury, including myocardial infarction (MI), remain common and result in significant morbidity and mortality.” Write the study authors.
The new study follows earlier research that indicated a that MC-1 may lower the risk in high-risk patients. The study included 3,023 intermediate- to high-risk patients undergoing CABG surgery. Researchers found that death or heart attack 30 days after surgery was essentially the same for those taking the drug MC-1 and those not taking the drug. In addition, the drug did not reduce the stroke, atrial fibrillation, or intensive care stays.
“Myocardial injury remains a significant problem following CABG surgery. Effective therapies to reduce perioperative morbidity and mortality are needed but remain elusive.” conclude the authors.
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