Wednesday, May 2, 2001

Study offers new hope to millions at risk

Millions of people 55 and over each year learn that they are at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Many of these people take medication to reduce blood pressure or cholesterol levels.

The new research reveals, however, they can do even more to reduce their risk of having a heart attack or stroke or dying from cardiovascular disease.

The HOPE Study, which examined more than 9,000 patients, showed that using a medication called Altace 10 mg reduced risk of stroke by 32 percent. Heart attack risk was reduced by 20 percent and risk of death from cardiovascular causes was reduced by 26 percent.

Patients in the study were 55 years of age or older and had a history of coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease or had diabetes and one other cardiovascular risk factor such as elevated blood cholesterol levels or cigarette smoking.

"Based on the findings of HOPE, we believe that if Altace is used in the appropriate patients, we could significantly reduce the number of strokes, heart attacks, and deaths from cardiovascular disease," says James Young, M.D. a primary U.S. investigator in the HOPE Study from the Cleveland Clinic.

"The results of the HOPE study send a clear message that we can do more to improve outcomes, even if we feel that we are adequately treating risk factors such as blood pressure and lipids."

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in this country. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the number one cause of adult disability in the United States. Medication may help.

"Stroke affects at least 600,000 Americans and some studies have shown that it is as many as 750,000. About 150,000 of those individuals die each year of stroke," said Edgar J. Kenton III, M.D., neurologist, American Stroke Association.

The HOPE Study findings are a very important development in reducing the incidence of stroke in patients 55 and over who are at increased risk for these debilitating events.

Based on the results of the HOPE study, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved Altace 10 mg as the first and only ACE inhibitor to reduce the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction (heart attack) and death from cardiovascular causes in people 55 years or older at increased risk for such events.