Posted on 10/11/2022 8:12:08 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
researchers have identified a common diabetes medication, metformin, as a possible treatment for atrial fibrillation.
The study built on ongoing research to support metformin as a drug repurposing candidate. Researchers used advanced computation and genetic sequencing to determine that metformin's targets overlap significantly with genes dysregulated in atrial fibrillation.
"Finding drugs or procedures to treat atrial fibrillation is difficult because of potential serious side effects," said Mina Chung, M.D. "There is a significant need for new treatments for atrial fibrillation as there have been no new drugs approved in more than a decade."
"It's not that we've found a new drug target where it takes 20 years to test this in individuals," said Jessica Castrillon Lal, the study's first author.
The analysis found metformin targeted 30 genes associated with atrial fibrillation, with direct effects on gene expression for eight. Eight other candidate drugs surfaced in the analysis, but researchers were able to identify metformin as the most promising candidate through testing and reviewing outcomes in large stores of patient data.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart arrhythmia in the world and can lead to complications, including stroke and heart failure. Treatments have been primarily directed toward trying to prevent the arrhythmia using drugs targeting the electrical system, including ion channels in the heart, or using catheter ablation to isolate the pulmonary veins where initiating beats of atrial fibrillation occur.
However, side effects, limited success and potential complications can limit these approaches.
Prior work identified the enzyme AMPK as a potential key regulator for metabolic stress. Metabolic stress has been associated with atrial fibrillation.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Hm. Been on Metformin for many years. During which I’ve had 3 ablations.
Heart stable now 2 years. Sugar #’s still won’t go down.
Do appreciate your posts.
Thx
I had arrythmia from age 50-57. I quit my lifetime security well paid job and took up full time golf. Not only the arrythmia disappeared, but blood pressure got down to normal range, A1C got under 6, fainting spells went away, panic attacks disappeared, and best of all, have not even had a cold for last 20 years. I think age 100 looks doable without pain or loss of balance or general feebleness old people over age 80 suffer from.
Stress is the great killer.
Good for you, those numbers look very good. I wish I could say the same, and these days I eat and drink about as well as Gandhi.
Frankly I waited too long to retire.
Metformin should be over the counter. It’s very cheap, beneficial and has no real side effects. Just needs to go with your regular vitamin pill to prevent B12 depletion.
The worst thing about it is you need to renew your prescription. That’s a barrier to some people, that shouldn’t be there.
Metformin is a horrible drug. With bad side effects.
I speak from perspective of many years of living with a wife who took it for diabetes.
Atrial fibrillation is a symptom of the underlying condition. Treating a symptom will not cure a disease. This the the problem with most of what passes for modern medicine.
Who knew? Type 2 diabetes is the cure to the clot shot!
What is the cause of AFIB??
I’m 75, healthy, but my two younger brothers have it. One has had three ablations, the other is going for his first.
Their lifestyle choices aren’t the best.
Yes, most people work too long, then retire and die soon after that. Even if you feel the job has no stress, every job has stress. The big surprise for me after retiring was how cheap it is to live if one has no mortgage and no other loans. My federal income tax dropped by $35k when I retired. Made a difference.
My opinion is lack of regular aerobic exercise.
Imagine if you only drove your car around the block at slow speed. It will soon run irratic with clogged fuel lines. Body is no different. We need to get the blood circulating faster, and only way to do that is through exercise.
Always work up to a exercise routine gradually. Especially if you are over age 50. I have been exercising by walking on golf course and now doing treadmill 120 minutes/week and lifting 30 lb weights a few times. I am at age 82, and my heart runs better than at age 41. No arrythmia, no afibs, no rapid heart beats even after climbing to 3rd floor. Only reason has to be the regular mild aerobic exercise.
Wow! My Mom has atrial fibrillation and beginning to have diabetes. I wonder if this drug can work for both conditions?
I would say that is exactly what this study would lead one to consider.
The modern equivalent of bleeding and injecting with mercury. That was how George Washington was killed by his physicians.
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