Originally published in The Nano Newswire
According to a presentation at this week's American Heart Association meeting, a Japanese research team led by cardiologist Dr. Yoshihiko Saito of Nara Medical University in Kashihara has developed a nano-sized packaging for the drug used to dissolve blot clots, known as tPA. The main drawback of tPA is currently a high risk of internal bleeding. By using a packaging of gelatin-based nanoparticles, the tPA is able to bind to a common clotting compound in the body, and thus better target the actual source of heart attacks.
tPA works through injection into the blood stream. The new nanoparticle tPA is injected in tiny blobs, which are then burst with ultrasound waves once they reach the clot.
The Dr. Saito's team found that 30 minutes after injection, the nano tPA improved blood flow through obstructed blood vessels by 90 percent, whereas the traditional tPA only improved blood flow by 10 percent. The scientists also found less stray tPA in the bloodstream afterward with the nanoparticles.
Although the technology has been tested only in pigs, some doctors find the early results promising, particularly for use in rural areas. Approximately half of all heart attack fatalities occur before the patient reaches the hospital for angioplasty, a process in which doctors use a catheter and balloon to prop open blocked coronary arteries and insert stents. Each minute after a heart attack increases damage to the heart from lack of blood through the blocked artery.
In rural areas, some patients may need to travel hours to the nearest catheterization lab. The new nanotech tPA has the potential to be used by paramedics, providing critical treatment much more quickly and safely. Paramedics don't usually administer traditional tPA because of the risks of internal bleeding.
www.daypitney.comThe content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.