New heart attack treatment hailed as landmark discovery
Image: Nine News
A ground-breaking discovery made by Australian doctors in the treatment of heart attacks is, according to researchers, a breakthrough as significant as landing on the moon.
As a result, $8 million dollars has been given as a boost to run a major trial, with heart attack survivor Wayne Cook the first participant in the world to receive the breakthrough treatment.
“I had a pain in both my biceps and across my back,” the 57-year-old, who had a major blockage, said of his heart attack.
“I didn’t think my symptoms were a heart attack but the pain was excruciating.”
The Perth man was able to receive life-saving treatment – a balloon unblocking his artery and a stent placed to hold it open.
Professor Martin Ng from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the University of Sydney said the treatment for heart attacks had not advanced in over 20 years.
One in two treated patients also have blockages downstream, in the micro vessels of their heart, which increase their risk of dying.
"There's a fundamental serious problem that still isn't resolved," he said.
"These vessels are so small so they can't be seen on the X-ray equipment from which we do the angiogram."
Now, a wire with sensors measures blood pressure and flow.
It's used to identify blockages downstream, so patients can then receive a clot-busting drug.
An earlier study, funded by taxpayers, uncovered astonishing results.
"This observation is, for us, like a landing on the moon," Professor Ng said.
This new larger trial will involve more than 500 heart attack patients, who are identified as being higher risk.