Friday, 12 April 2013

L-Carnitine Significantly Improves Patient Outcomes Following Heart Attack

 
 
 
 
 
L-Carnitine Significantly Improves Patient Outcomes Following Heart Attack


Results of Systematic Review of 13 Controlled Studies Reported in

Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Rochester, MN, April 12, 2013 – L-carnitine significantly improves cardiac health in patients after a heart

attack, say a multicenter team of investigators in a study published today in

Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Their findings, based on analysis of key controlled trials, associate L-carnitine with significant reduction in

death from all causes and a highly significant reduction in ventricular arrhythmias and anginal attacks

following a heart attack, compared with placebo or control.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Although many of the therapies

developed in recent decades have markedly improved life expectancy, adverse cardiovascular events

such as ventricular arrhythmias and angina attacks still occur frequently after an acute myocardial

infarction (heart attack).

It is known that during ischemic events L-carnitine levels are depleted. Investigators sought to determine

the effects of targeting cardiac metabolic pathways using L-carnitine to improve free fatty acid levels and

glucose oxidation in these patients. By performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available

studies published over several decades, they looked at the role of L-carnitine compared with placebo or

control in patients experiencing an acute myocardial infarction.

L-carnitine is a trimethylamine which occurs in high amounts in red meat and is found in certain other

foods, and is also widely available as an over-the-counter nutritional supplement which is claimed to

improve energy, weight loss, and athletic performance. Its potential role in treating heart disease was first

reported in the late 1970s.

A comprehensive literature search yielded 153 studies, 13, published from 1989-2007, were deemed

eligible. All the trials were comparison trials of L-carnitine compared with placebo or control in the setting

of acute myocardial infarction.



www.bodybynature.co.uk

 

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