Gene drugs to cure heart attacks

KOCHI: At a time when cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in the world, application of genomic medicines in preventing and treating heart attacks is getting wider acceptance. CVD running in families caused by genes can be effectively prevented through drugs. Though very expensive, the drugs are being manufactured and used in the US and it makes a person and his/her next generations get protection from cardiac disorders.

Dr. Sekar Kathiresan, member of Precision Medicine Plan of US President Barrack Obama and director of preventive cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, who was in Kochi to attend the International Genomic Conference, told DC that India had been left out in gene sequencing studies and drug development as export of human DNA from the country was not permitted. Since India lacked high-end infrastructure facilities and technical expertise required for gene sequencing studies, the country was nowhere in the picture of genetic analysis based preventive medicine.

“Though South Indians are highly vulnerable to CVD, not even a single study has been conducted for the genetic analysis of the Indian population to find out the connection between genetic structure and the risks for CVD,” he said.  “In 2003, the gene mutation associated with heart attack was identified. After three years of research, drugs have been developed which will help high risk group people with high susceptibility to get protected against the disease. No editing of the disease-causing gene is done, but using the drugs, its function is being changed,” he added.   The gene sequencing is not limited to preventive cardiology, it can be effectively used for several other diseases which have links with genes like Alzheimer's, dementia and even diabetes.