Anti-angina Drug, Ranolazine Effective Against Carbon Monoxide Poisoining

Ranolazine

Researchers at the University of Leeds have found that ranolazine, a drug used as anti-anginal and anti-ischemic, is useful in the treatment of carbon monoxid poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas resulting from incomplete combustion (cooking equipment, house fires, etc.) and can be fatal if it is not treated in time. Carbon monoxide gas is odorless, tasteless and colorless, so it is difficult to detect by humans. In carbon monoxide poisoning, symptoms vary depending on the concentration and amount of gas that form carboxyhemoglobin.

The first symptoms are represented by headaches and confusion, then  tachycardia, dizziness, convulsions, respiratory arrest and eventually coma and death occurs. The most affected organs affected in carbon monoxide poisoning are the brain and heart tissue, organs which depend most on oxygen . Treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning consists mainly of administration of hyperbaric oxygen, along with correcting other imbalances that occur (cardiac arrhythmias, acidosis, pulmonary edema, convulsions).

Researchers found that exposure to carbon monoxide alters ion transport through cell membranes, thereby calcium ions accumulate inside the cell and cause arrhythmias. University of Leeds’ Professor Chris Peers, who led the research, points out that this is the first study to clarify the mechanism by which carbon monoxide lead to arrhythmias. The researchers wanted to test the protective effect of ranolazine on the heart and found that this drug reduces the risk of arrhythmias in laboratory animals exposed to carbon monoxide. Furthermore, researchers believe that this drug may be useful for those chronically exposed to carbon monoxide, such as firefighters.

University of Leeds’ Professor Chris Peers, who led the research, pointed out that when dealing with a patient with carbon monoxide poisoning the first thing to do is to stop the damage caused by the gas in the body. He added that studies have shown that ranolazine protects the heart and prevent cardiac arrhythmias caused by gas. Ranolazine is a drug approved in 2006 for treatment of angina pectoris. This drug presents anti-anginal effects and has the advantage of not affecting heart rate or blood pressure .

Ranolazine is indicated for patients with angina who remain symptomatic after maximal doses of antianginal drugs. Because it is metabolized by CYP3A, ranolazine should not be taken simultaneously with certain drugs, such as calcium channel blockers (diltiazem, verapamil) or ketoconazole. Also it should be noted that ranolazine increases the QTc interval. Therefore, this drug is not recommended in certain patients (such as those with preexisting QT prolongation or those taking CYP3A inhibitors, and so on).