Lay summary
Heart disease remains a leading cause of death and disability in New Zealand. Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, is a key cause of progressive heart disease. A heart attack results in permanent damage to the heart, that can progress to heart failure and eventually death. New and more effective treatments are needed.
The present application aims to assess the effectiveness of a new treatment strategy (inhibition of the enzyme PDE9) administered at the time of heart attack. We will assess its ability to improve the long-term changes in heart structure and function that occur following a heart attack. This may prevent or slow the progression to heart failure. We will also measure levels of the PDE9 enzyme in blood from patients with heart disease to determine whether this gives important information on severity of disease or best treatment options.