New Heart Drug Could Be a Lifesaver

(CBS)  It's not yet on the market or even approved for sale, but researchers today announced that a new drug could be a huge help for many heart patients. CBS News correspondent Tony Guida has more on a possible replacement for Coumadin.

After a heart attack, a drug like Coumadin can be a lifesaver. But life on Coumadin can be a royal pain.

"It's like having a mother-in-law; a nuisance but necessary," said Bill Knoblor, one of 3 million Americans taking the blood thinner Coumadin.

Like most of them, he suffers from atrial fibrillation - an irregular heartbeat. When the heart's chambers do not beat in sync, blood clots can form. Stroke is a major risk. Coumadin is the default prescription. But it's not without cost.

"There are major side effects with Coumadin," said cardiologist Dr. William Borden, of the Perelman Heart Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, "the main one being bleeding."

That's because Coumadin needs to be closely watched. Sometimes it thins the blood too much, other times not enough. And that's not all.

"The hassle for patients is it interacts with different foods, it interacts with medicines and they have to get their blood tested about once a month," Borden said.

Now comes a major clinical study of a German drug; 18,000 patients from 44 countries, all suffering from irregular heartbeat, were studied for two years. The result: the German drug was three times more effective than Coumadin at reducing the risk of stroke without the need for frequent blood tests.

"This study is huge because all doctors, nurses and patients who need to take this have been waiting for a medication that doesn't need the constant checking and is not so variable that it puts them at risk," said cardiologist Chris Cannon.

A sweet dream for patients like Bill Knoblor.

"I'd be ecstatic if there were a replacement," he said.

The German drug is called Pradaxa. It has side effects, too - indigestion and a slightly greater risk of heart attack. But if it wins FDA approval, the drug could be a blockbuster. Experts say the market for oral anticoagulants could be $10 billion a year.

[ayniid1026]

As a Heart patient on Coumadin, it can be a definate drag, I have test my blood 2 times a month, I'm fortunate that my insurance paid for my tester instead of my going to the Lab for the test. Then there is the occasional reading(too high/low), mainly because of the foods that I eat. Meaning most green vegetables, healthy foods, which lower the INR with vitamin K, and forget that occasional glass of red wine.
So, any time there is something new on the horizon for people like me, I gladly looked forward to it. This way I could look forward to all those vegetables I love too.

[bubbadubba]

And yet another example of that backwards socialized Euro medicine I guess?
Odd isn't it, some people say the Euros have the worst health care because they provide it to everyone and yet most of the advances in medicine, drugs, and equipment come from Europe NOT the US.

[erasmus111]

by pub17 August 30, 2009 10:11 PM EDT
I think I speak for every single patient in the universe taking warfarin, beta-blockers, and/or ACE inhibitors, myself included, when I invite debinok1 to stick his or her tongue directly into a 220V wall socket and enjoy that "natural part of the process" they so ardently espouse. I swear upon the altar of God to leave you alone as you flop about on the floor with your lips turning blue; far be it from me to interfere with the quality of your short but no doubt exhilarating remaining seconds of life.


Everyone makes a choice in how they want to live their lives. Some, like you, may want to live with drugs and their side effects, others don't.

[daisyjingles]

I am so glad I was not born in caveman days. Sometimes I think the only reason my line has survived is because we are so myopic we cannot escape somebody else who wanted to drag us away by the hair and we laugh a great deal.

[tincup356]

I'll take my chances by NOT taking ANYTHING from big pharma,,,,they are killers for profit.,,,,Funny how they are paying BOTH parties LOBBY DOLLARS right now,,,,you can BET if a health care package is passed , THEY will come out with package in the legislation that will insure they will ALWAYS be in the back pocket of ALL Americans,,,,,,BEWARE, BOTH parties are just trying to get ALL their LOBBY MARKERS in on this scam,,,"We the People" will be the clear cut losers.It is time for Americans who support BOTH parties to cut ties with them, before they BOTH suck this country dry.

[debinok1]

More drugs that cause more side effects that need more drugs that cause more side effects, and the cycle continues.

How about leaving us alone and let us live our lives and when we die, we die. Death is a natural part of the process, we start dying the day we are born. It happens to everyone eventually, live life to the fullest, focus on the quality and less on the quantity.