German scientists have proposed using a well-known drug for another illness. A new Cochrane review evaluated 12 randomized controlled trials involving almost 23,000 people with a history of cardiovascular diseases, heart attack, or stroke. Participants took the gout medication colchicine for at least six months, usually at doses of 0.5 mg once or twice daily. About 80% of the subjects were men, and the average age ranged from 57 to 74 years. Half received colchicine, while the others received either a placebo or standard treatment. People taking low doses of colchicine experienced fewer heart attacks and strokes. For every 1000 people, 9 heart attacks and 8 strokes were prevented compared to those who did not receive the drug. No serious side effects were noted, although mild and brief stomach or digestive issues were more common in the colchicine group. “Among 200 people with cardiovascular disease, where about seven heart attacks and four strokes would typically be expected, using a low dose of colchicine could prevent approximately two cases of each,” reported Dr. Ramin Ebrahimi, co-lead author from the University Medicine Greifswald. Cardiovascular diseases are often associated with prolonged inflammation, which increases the likelihood of heart attack and stroke. Colchicine reduces inflammation, which is why it is being considered as a potentially useful treatment for this group of patients. Questions remain about whether colchicine affects overall mortality or reduces the need for interventions such as coronary revascularization. The study also did not determine if the drug improves quality of life or shortens hospital stays. The authors emphasize that further research is needed. Earlier, scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York proposed a radically new method for treating heart attacks. They activated a gene responsible for heart cell regeneration in infants, which becomes inactive in adults. This allows cells to repair themselves independently.
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