The first treatment for deadly aneurysms that grow in the body’s largest blood vessel could be on the horizon, scientists have said.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) kill around 80 per cent of people in whom they rupture. There are currently no treatments that can stop an aneurysm from developing or growing.
An AAA is a swelling in the aorta – the artery that carries blood from the heart to the abdomen, and can be deadly as there are often no symptoms.
The condition often has no symptoms and is only picked up during tests for other diseases. It is linked to around 2,200 deaths in the UK each year.
Researchers at the University of Leicester found that drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors, which are already used to treat people with high cholesterol, could be repurposed as a treatment for people with AAA.
They simulated the effect of the treatment in mice with AAA and found their aneurysms grew more slowly.
The experts also trawled the DNA of more than 39,000 people with AAA for genes that could increase their risk of developing the condition.
They identified 141 genetic variants involved in the development of aneurysms – including 97 never previously linked to the condition.
Matthew Bown, professor of vascular surgery at the University of Leicester, who led the UK research team, said: “Despite being relatively common, the only option we can offer patients with AAA is regular monitoring, potentially followed by surgery if their aneurysm becomes too large.
“An effective treatment that could slow or even stop an AAA developing would be a huge breakthrough for people living with the condition.
“But, so far, this has proved elusive. We’re hopeful that our findings can provide the foundation to propel us towards the first drug treatment for AAA.”
Professor James Leiper, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “The consequences of an abdominal aortic aneurysm bursting are catastrophic and, more often than not, this will cost a patient their life. People with an AAA live day-to-day with this looming threat.
“Repurposing drugs which have already been shown to be safe and effective, such as PCSK9 inhibitors, can dramatically shorten the time it takes for findings to go from discovery to patient trials. While testing in large groups of patients will be needed before these drugs can be recommended, these promising results offer hope to thousands of AAA patients that their long wait for a treatment may soon be over.”
The study was part-funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
