Medical Portal

An experimental drug is the first which may substantially and safely improve shortness of breath and other symptoms of severe heart attack, a growing epidemic, according to doctors report.
However, many were really upset that this medicine did not help people live longer or stay out of the hospital.
Heart attack occurs when the heart muscle weakens over time and can no longer pump the blood effectively. Fluid can back up into the lungs and people stay panicked and gasping for breath.
About 5 million Americans have this disease. It kills more than 300,000 and nearly one million hospitalizations each year. Current treatments either do not cause needed effect or lead to kidney damage or loss of essential body salts called electrolytes.
The new drug, tolvaptan, is a first-of-its-kind medication that blocks a hormone responsible for fluid retention. It was tested on 4,133 severely ill patients throughout North and South America and Europe. Ten months later it significantly improved breathing and reduced swelling and weight because it promoted so much fluid loss.
Tolvaptan’s maker is Japan Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. The company plans to ask the federal Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug sometime this year.