One in five heart attack deaths 'avoidable' with new drug

People with cardiovascular disorders, who may use home care, could benefit from a new drug which looks set to dramatically reduce heart attack deaths.

Research from the University of Sheffield revealed that new drug, ticagrelor, could prevent one in five heart attack deaths if it was to replace the standard treatment with drug clopidogrel.

Although the drug was made available in the UK in December 2010, concerns over cost mean it has not yet been widely adopted.

Professor Robert Storey said that many people are dying "avoidably" due to delays in the introduction of the new treatment.

"These new findings provide yet further evidence in support of making the drug available to patients in the UK," he continued.

In other news, stopping smoking could greatly reduce heart attack risk, new research has shown.

The British Heart Foundation has revealed that the UK's heart attack rate has dropped dramatically in the UK over the past two decades.

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