Troubled Hearts: Antibiotic might fend off second attack
By Ben Harder
An antibiotic might protect people with heart disease from future coronary events, according to the results of a small-scale trial. The study’s limited scope, however, makes its conclusion tentative, some researchers say. They look forward to results of several larger trials now under way.
The new finding fits with a hypothesis that certain infectious organisms are at the root of some heart conditions. Clarithromycin, the antibiotic used in the study, works against Chlamydia pneumoniae. That bacterium is usually associated with respiratory symptoms but may also attack a person’s heart. The drug’s anti-inflammatory effect may also reduce the risk of further heart problems. Previous studies have suggested that a related antibiotic, roxithromycin, reduces patients’ risk of heart problems during treatment, but the effect doesn’t persist.