Posted on 01/24/2007 2:34:52 PM PST by Main Street
WJZ) Baltimore, MD Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered a potential medical breakthrough that could help those who suffer from muscular dystrophy.
WJZ's Kathryn Brown talked to doctors at Hopkins who are calling it one of the biggest breakthroughs ever when it comes to treating the devastating condition, which weakens ones muscles over the coarse of time.
The potential new treatment is from a medicine now commonly used to treat high blood pressure.
Marion and John Bailey know a lot about the disease, which has affected their son Stephen for years. That is why they are so excited about a possible breakthrough that could change the face of Muscular Dystrophy.
"That's pretty exciting because when you think about that, that could even mean some sort of treatment for someone like Stephen," said Marion Bailey.
At 40-years-old Stephen Bailey is a living miracle. He has more than doubled the odds given to him by doctors to survive and he cannot even remember life before being diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy.
The new findings have showed that the commonly used blood pressure drug Losartan, improves muscle regeneration in mice and when treated for nine months researchers could not tell the difference between healthy mice and those treated for the disease.
The finding could offer hope to even those with advanced Muscular Dystrophy like Stephen Bailey.
Stephen's younger brother Tom also lived with the disease until he died at the age of 32.
"Every time there's a breakthrough I know that they're one step closer to either treating it or a cure," said Stephen Bailey. He added, he hopes doctors follow up their findings "If it even has a chance that it would be able to help me in some way."
The next step is to launch human clinical trials, which researchers said should not take long because the drug is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Losartan also has far fewer side effects than the drug currently used to treat the disease.
Great news. Embryonic stem cell research supporters are deeply saddened.
Jerry Lewis must be thrilled
Yikes, over the COARSE of time??????????????
Yeah, that jumped right out at me, too.
As you get older, time does get very 'coarse'.
:0)
I was at a Ducks function last night and ran into an old friend and his 18 year old son. The son is in a chair with MD, but still goes hunting with his dad. I hope this is the real deal for the both of them. They're a great team.
And the son can handicap the ponies better than IBM's Big Blue!!!
Nice.
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