Our Partnership

Joining Jack and the British Heart Foundation funded this study by Professor John Bourke.

It is a trial of combined ACE-inhibitor and beta-blocker therapy to see if these drugs taken in combination prevent the development of cardiomyopathy in those with DMD

The Research

Boys with DMD begin to show heart muscle weakness in their teens. Often this causes symptoms and contributes to premature death. Theoretically, their hearts may be protected by existing drugs, although the benfits have not been tested scientifically.

This research will determine whether combining two drugs prevents heart deterioration. Results will establish whether and when DMD patients should start treatments and will help in other related inherited heart conditions.

The aim of this study is to discover whether the introduction of ACE-inhibitor combined with beta-blocker therapy, before the onset of echo-detectable left ventricular dysfunction, can delay the age of onset and or slow the rate of progression of cardiomyopathy in males with DMD over 5 years.