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Nearly 300 Medicines in Development to Treat Diseases That Strike
Minorities Disproportionately
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- An American dies of heart disease
every 39 seconds, and African Americans suffer a higher death rate
from heart disease and stroke than Americans overall. Partly as a
result of having the highest prevalence of high blood pressure in
the world, African Americans have a 1.5 times greater rate of heart
disease death than other Americans and a 1.8 times greater rate of
fatal stroke.
“We have made and continue to make great progress in treating
cardiovascular disease, [related video] but we also urge all
Americans to take every precaution available to prevent it.”
.A new report released today shows that America’s biopharmaceutical
research companies are developing 299 medicines to prevent and to
treat heart disease and stroke. All are either in clinical trials or
awaiting FDA review. The report was prepared by the Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
Cutting-edge research includes a medicine that uses human stem cells
to form new heart muscle, a gene therapy that uses a patient’s own
cells to treat heart failure and a new anticoagulant to prevent deep
vein thrombosis, also commonly known as economy class syndrome
because of incidences that have occurred among travelers in cramped
airline seats.
Unacceptably high numbers of deaths, particularly among African
Americans, persist despite the fact that American deaths from heart
disease dropped 28% between 1997 and 2007—improvements due in large
measure to new medicines, including those to control high blood
pressure and high cholesterol.
“Medicines developed for cardiovascular health over the last three
decades are in large measure responsible for preventing more than a
million American deaths a year,” said PhRMA President and CEO John
Castellani. “We have made and continue to make great progress in
treating cardiovascular disease, [related video] but we also urge
all Americans to take every precaution available to prevent it.”
Further progress in avoiding heart attack and stroke depends on
prevention through healthy lifestyles, adherence to medicines
prescribed by doctors and new medicines to prevent and treat
cardiovascular disease.
Many people already can reduce their odds of heart attack and stroke
by leading healthy lifestyles and, when necessary, taking medication
to control high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Yet adherence
to medication is at least as big a problem as adherence to New
Year’s resolutions to get fit. For example, only 48% of Americans
with high blood pressure are aware of the condition and have it
under control.
“We know that people who have been diagnosed with this disease and
do not take their medications as prescribed are almost five times
more likely to suffer from a heart attack, stroke, aneurysm,
dementia, or premature death,” added Ralph Brindis, M.D., President
of the American College of Cardiology. “In order to maximize the
potential of advancing science and newly developed drugs, we must
continue identifying strategies that successfully help patients
follow their treatment plans. This effort in itself has the
potential to significantly improve the quality of care for
cardiovascular disease and save another million lives every year.”
African Americans are more likely than any other group in the world
to have high blood pressure—in fact, 43% of African American adults
have what is often called “the silent killer” because symptoms are
not obvious. Everyone, African Americans in particular, should have
their blood pressure checked regularly.
Last year, cardiovascular disease cost American society more than
$503 billion, including treatment for those who have survived heart
attacks and strokes, according to the American Heart Association.
Medicines currently in development are aimed both at preventing
strokes and heart attacks and treating the symptoms of those who
have already suffered them. Congenital heart disorders are also
among the targets being researched.
VIDEO Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCb4T7IlG8s
FULL REPORT:
http://www.phrma.org/sites/phrma.org/files/Heart_2011.pdf
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and
biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines
that allow patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive
lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new
cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $45.8 billion in
2009 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide
research and investment reached a record $65.3 billion in 2009.
PhRMA Internet Address:
http://www.phrma.org
For information on how innovative medicines save lives, visit:
http://www.innovation.org
For information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance,
visit: http://www.pparx.org
For more information on public health emergencies, visit
http://www.rxresponse.org
For information on the danger of imported drugs, visit:
http://www.buysafedrugs.info
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