ATLANTA, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. medical scientists say they've developed tiny polymer, drug-embedded microparticles that might aid patients who have suffered a heart attack.
Researchers at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology said the tiny polymer beads can slowly release anti-inflammatory drugs and break down into non-toxic components. When injected into rats' hearts after a simulated heart attack, the drug-embedded "microparticles" reduced inflammation and scarring, they said.
The scientists found injecting the particles could cut the area of scar tissue formed after the heart attack in half and boost the ability of the heart to pump blood by 10 percent weeks later.
The research that included Assistant Professors Michael Davis and Niren Murthy and graduate student Jay Sy is reported in the October-November issue of Nature Materials.
