Projects / Programmes
Potential of low, sub-therapeutic doses of statins and sartans in primary and secondary cardiovascular disease prevention
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.06.00 |
Medical sciences |
Cardiovascular system |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B530 |
Biomedical sciences |
Cardiovascular system |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 3.02 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
Clinical medicine |
new innovative treatment strategies, cardiovascular diseases, arterial agenig, fluvastatin, valsartan
Researchers (17)
Organisations (4)
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases still represent the major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. The most important and most effective global approach to decrease the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is their effective prevention. Despite the fact that the current non-pharmacological and pharmacological strategies slightly restricted the burden of cardiovascular diseases, it is estimated that their incidence will further significantly rise due to unhealthy lifestyle and the ageing of the population in next decades. The current strategy of prevention actions is focused on non-pharmacological and pharmacological restriction or on the treatment of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, increased body weight, physical inactivity, etc.).
In the proposed project we will further study the new, innovative treatment approach for the cardiovascular diseases prevention. It consists of a one-month treatment period with a low, sub-therapeutic doses of a statin and sartan combination, followed by a 6-12 month period without treatment. During the period without treatment the positive effect of the treatment gradually decrease, but when the one-month treatment is repeated, similar improvements of arterial wall function is achieved as in the first treatment cycle. The novelty of the described approach is that it does not focus on the risk factors, but directly to the arterial wall, which is at the centre of the pathophysiological process of atherosclerosis and is a common target of damaging effects of all risk factors. Therefore, it is logical, that arterial wall should be one of the most important targets of the preventive strategies.
We will continue the proposed project on the basis of the results of our previous very successful project (No. L3- 2293), in which we have found and also as the first time published yet unknown effects of low doses of statins, sartans, and especially their combination on the function of arterial wall. We propose approach with the use of substances that would act directly on the arterial wall, in order to inhibit the harmful processes therein, to improve the performance of the entire arterial system and the long-term reduction in the incidence of complications due to atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease. The target population would initially be healthy individuals, or patients who have not suffered cardiovascular events, but have risk factors for accelerated aging process of the arterial wall, and atherosclerosis (patients with diabetes mellitus, patients with chronic kidney disease, etc.).
The project will consist of clinical and non-clinical studies, the major aims of the project are: to examine the effectiveness of the new innovative therapeutic approach to arterial ageing in the new, patient groups (as described above) and to examine the impact of new innovative therapeutic approach to the heart muscle function or its effect on diastolic dysfunction and to examine the precise mechanism of action - cascading path at the molecular level, using several experimental methods.
We expect that the results of this multidisciplinary project will contribute significantly to the clinical as well as to a basic knowledge in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. We will explain the mechanisms of action of our innovative therapeutic approach and also prove the effectiveness of the approach in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. We anticipate that we will establish a new, convenient, secure, user-friendly and cost-effective approach in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Significance for science
The incidence of cardiovascular diseases is increasing in Slovenia and in the developed world, so new, innovative strategies towards treatment and prevention of cardiovascular events or their postponement to later periods of life are well desired. Improvement of the functioning of the artery wall opens up the possibility of a higher quality medical treatment of those people groups. In this project we would study a new and innovative approach, which is aimed directly at improving the functioning of the arterial wall that could lead to increased resistance to cardiovascular diseases. The effectiveness of this approach was partially revealed in our previous studies. The aim of the present project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of this new innovative approach in other potential target groups and in particular to carefully resolve its mechanism. Based on these results it is in fact possible to provide guidance for the future prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases through proven active ingredients. as to develop new active ingredients that work in protecting the cardiovascular system.
The results of our research have a potential for pharmacotherapy in order to develop new active ingredients that work in protecting the cardiovascular system.
The content of this project represents a new, innovative idea of ??prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, which until now has not been tested in the world. The models used in this study allow for monitoring of the earliest morphological and functional changes of the artrial wall that are clinically undetectable. Results of the research will also contribute to a better understanding of the concept of the emergence of cardiovascular disease and will form the basis for the formation of doctrine against them.
The project represents an important collaboration between the non-clinical and clinical research. Above all, it is also important for building inter-hospital cooperation between UMC Ljublajna and Sežana Hospital. The projet described respresents a possibility that the outlined strategy could bloom in the following years, at first in research and then clinical field.
Significance for the country
The content of the project is designed to be coordinated with the development policy of Slovenia and European Union in the field of health of citizens. The aging of the population brings with it a rise in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the prevention of these diseases is one of the fundamental orientations. New, innovative therapeutic approach presented in this project enables the prevention or delay of the cardiovascular diseases and slowing of the arterial wall aging. The goal of the study is to contribute to better understanding of the disease course and, consequently, early prevention in a clinically quiet period of disease processes (in example even before the signs and symptoms of the disease express).
The interaction of the results from preclinical and clinical research will allow better and faster transfer of knowledge into clinical practice, which in turn will lead to early prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and their more successful treatment. Improving the health status of the population is particularly important in the aging population, such as Slovenian and also European population is becoming.
New approaches and improvement of the health status in terms of early treatment and prevention of these diseases with sub-therapeutic doses of drugs will lower the costs of the treatments and also the pressure on health care. It will also improve the health status of the employed population, which means greater performance and better professional development. Reducing the absence from work due to health problems is clearly an objective of economic and other companies.
Most important scientific results
Interim report,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report
