Dont underestimate a fathers determination. Ty Ballou of Ben Avon was eager for a new treatment for his son Ryan, now 27, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, uses a wheelchair and already has outlived what his life expectancy would have been. After helping to inspire a researcher to test a new drug regimen, he raised nearly $250,000 over six years to fund research at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. He collected contributions to complete marathons and other distance races, raised money from the sale of Ballou Skies peanut butter for two years at Giant Eagle and continues operating the web site http://www.ballouskies.com to seek donations and provide information about the disease that predominantly affects males. The results are in. A study published today in The Lancet Neurology and led by Subha Raman, a cardiologist and professor at the medical center, shows that a combination of prescription drugs was used successfully to reduce the progression of heart failure in those with Duchenne. Those results follow Mr. Ballous sons success with a similar regimen of drugs hes been taking for seven years. Those include the ACE inhibitor lisinopril and the diuretic spironolactone, which typically are used to treat advanced heart … Continue reading →

Signs of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) can start to appear in boys as young as six, leading to deterioration of the heart muscles and ultimately death. Pharmaceuticals aimed at controlling high blood pressure have been used to treat the one in 3,500 young males suffering from the condition, but a new study suggests that a novel combination of these drugs could slow the decline in heart function earlier on, and in promising new ways. Led by cardiologist Dr Subha Raman, a professor at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, a research team explored the effects of combining heart failure drugs to treat heart muscle disease over a twelve month period. A group of 42 boys suffering from DMD and heart muscle degeneration were treated with either an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), drugs used to treat elevated blood pressure. Among the 42 boys, a random group was also treated with eplerenone, another blood pressure medication, while the rest were given a placebo. The subjects underwent cardiac MRIs before, halfway through and then following the 12 month study period, enabling the researchers to track the condition of their cardiovascular health. The researchers reported that the patients receiving eplerenone … Continue reading →

Research finds early detection, combination of drugs protects hearts of boys longer VIDEO:In a new study led by Dr. Subha Raman of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, researchers were able to dramatically slow the rate of heart damage in patients... view more COLUMBUS, Ohio - Early use of available heart failure drugs slows the progressive decline in heart function before symptoms are apparent in boys and young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), according to a new study published online by The Lancet Neurology. Dr. Subha Raman, a cardiologist and professor at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, led a team of DMD experts at multiple sites in a clinical trial that tested the combination of eplerenone and either an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) to decrease the progression of heart muscle disease, a leading cause of death in boys and young men with DMD. "We believe this research offers evidence that supports the early use of these readily available medications," said Raman, who is also the lead author of the study. Dr. Linda Cripe, a pediatric cardiologist and co-investigator at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, added, "This could quickly become standard of care … Continue reading →

Early use of available heart failure drugs slows the progressive decline in heart function before symptoms are apparent in boys and young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), according to a new study published online by The Lancet Neurology. Dr. Subha Raman, a cardiologist and professor at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, led a team of DMD experts at multiple sites in a clinical trial that tested the combination of eplerenone and either an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) to decrease the progression of heart muscle disease, a leading cause of death in boys and young men with DMD. "We believe this research offers evidence that supports the early use of these readily available medications," said Raman, who is also the lead author of the study. Dr. Linda Cripe, a pediatric cardiologist and co-investigator at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, added, "This could quickly become standard of care for patients with DMD." Raman and her team based this trial on their earlier lab findings that showed this combination of medicines reduced muscle damage and preserved function in an animal model of DMD. In this trial, researchers enrolled 42 boys with DMD who also showed evidence … Continue reading →