CALGARY- It’s a tightly controlled rhythm. We depend on a constant, steady heartbeat for survival.
“Rough 30 thousand people per year in Canada die suddenly, without any warning. The vast majority of that is due to arrhythmia,” says cardiologist Dr. Hank Duff.
Arrhythmias happen when the heartbeat becomes too fast, too slow or irregular.
“Arrhythmia is like a thunder storm that comes through your property and causes damage. After it’s gone, if you can protect yourself from that thunderstorm, that electrical storm, you’re good to go,” Duff adds.
He joins a group of researchers at the University of Calgary who believe they’ve uncovered a fundamental physiological process that could help correct arrhythmias.
Calcium overload is already a well-known cause of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Researchers have now discovered a sensor which controls calcium release, and therefore, the constant rhythm of the heart.
“It’s interesting because it gives us a target to try to develop new drug treatments to prevent sudden death,” says Dr. Duff.
Dr. Wayne Chen adds, “If your sensors are not very sensitive we can actually tune them up a little bit. If you’re too sensitive, we can maybe dampen them a little bit, so that they will not work uncontrollably.”
Chen says his team has already successfully manipulated the calcium sensor in mice – completely preventing calcium-triggered arrhythmias.
Researchers are now working to develop molecularly tailored drugs for humans – with hopes of releasing them in the next five to 10 years.
Comments