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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : October 8, 2014 11:06 AM IST
Aspirin in low-doses is commonly prescribed to prevent cardiovascular diseases. But a recent study claimed that gene variations in some individuals may lead to slightly harmful effects on these patients. As per the researchers, a common genetic variation in the gene of the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is responsible for altering the cardiovascular benefits of the drug. (Read: Aspirin might just be what you need to keep heart disease at bay)
COMT is a key enzyme in the metabolism of catecholamines, a group of hormones that include epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. 'This is one of the few cases where you can identify a single genetic polymorphism which has a significant interaction with aspirin, such that it affects, whether or not it protects against cardiovascular disease,' informed Kathryn Hall, an investigator at Harvard Medical School.
To answer this question, researchers used data from a cohort of over 23,000 women who were followed for 10 years in a placebo-controlled trial of low-dose aspirin or vitamin E for the primary prevention of incident cardiovascular disease.Their analysis focused on 'val158met', a common variant in the COMT gene. Individuals who are homozygous for the enzyme's high-activity valine form, the 'val/vals,' have been shown to have lower levels of catecholamines. 'When we examined women in the placebo trial, we found that 23 percent of women who were 'val/vals' were naturally protected against incident cardiovascular disease,' explained Daniel I Chasman, a genetic epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH).(Read: There is a difference in the efficacy of aspirin from person to person': Experts)
Further investigation revealed the surprising discovery that when the women with the 'val/val' polymorphism were allocated to aspirin, this natural protection was eliminated. 'We can be smarter about the groups of patients that would most likely benefit from aspirin,' said Joseph Loscalzo, chairman of the department of medicine at BWH. Rather than give aspirin to all patients with risk factors for heart disease, we need to identify those individuals for whom aspirin has the greatest benefit and the lowest risk of adverse effects, Loscalzo advised. The study appeared online in the American Heart Association's journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. (Read: 11 types of cancer can benefit from new aspirin compound!)
Aspirin 10 amazing facts you should know
From minor headache to heart diseases, aspirin has been like the staple drug used for treating common health problems in every home for generations together. Aspirin is not only popular among users but also among researchers all over the world. Scientists are so much in love with this miracle drug that on an average 3500 articles are published every year on aspirin. From this vast pool of information, here are top 10 filtered facts about aspirin that you should know.
1. It is the most widely used drug: Aspirin, chemically known as acetylsalicylic acid, is truly a boon to the medical world. In the year 1950, aspirin was recognized as the highest selling drug by the Guinness Book World of Records.
2. Most people take the drug without even realising it: Most people don't realise that they are actually taking an aspirin because it is not only found as a single ingredient but is also present in combination with other prescribed and over-the-counter drugs.
3. It is used for relieving more than 50 symptoms: The role of aspirin in treatment of various conditions has been studied. Aspirin is most commonly used for symptoms like heartburn, fever, arthritis, stomach ache, sleep disorders, migraine headaches and symptoms of common cold.
4. Aspirin could benefit 11 different cancers: Aspirin has a significant ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. A new aspirin drug showed to curb the growth of cancer cells including that of colon, pancreatic, lung, prostate, breast and leukemia.
With inputs from IANS
Image Source: Getty Images
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