PepZinGI® improves cardiac function after acute heart attack, study shows
Highlights
- Randomized, open-label, controlled study
- 50 patients with primary acute myocardial infarction
- PepZinGI® significantly reduces biomarkers of inflammation vs. control
- PepZinGI® significantly increases ejection fraction vs. control
- Effective dosage is 75 mg, twice daily, for 9 months
Summary
This randomized, open-label, controlled study was designed to examine the effect of polaprezinc (PepZinGI®) on cardiac function after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
The researchers enrolled 50 patients with initial ST elevation myocardial infarction. The patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) successfully within 12 hours of the onset of AMI. After PCI, the patients were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: PepZinGI® (75 mg, twice daily) or control. Patients started to take PepZinGI® within one day of PCI and continued for 9 months.
All patients were given antiplatelet therapy (100 mg aspirin and 75 mg clopidogrel) and 4 mg candesartan post-PCI. Statin drugs were administered to all patients starting at Day 8 after PCI.
Blood and urinary analyses were used to assess changes in zinc, cardiac enzymes, and inflammatory markers. Echocardiography (ejection fractions) was used to assess cardiac function.
Results indicate that PepZinGI® treatment significantly increased blood zinc (P=.02) and non-significantly increased urinary zinc (P=.18) compared to control at 8 days after PCI.
Compared to control, PepZinGI® treatment significantly (P<.05) reduced the mean interleukin-6/maximal creatine phosphokinase level and significantly (P<.01) increased the ejection fraction between Day 3 and 9 months post-AMI.
These preliminary findings suggest PepZinGI® zinc-carnosine may help reduce inflammation and improve cardiac function in post-AMI patients.
