Researchers have developed a new adhesive patch that could reduce the stretching of cardiac muscle following a heart attack. Developed by a team of researchers from Brown University, US; Fudan University, China and Soochow University, China, the patch is made from a water-based hydrogel material and can be placed directly on the heart to prevent left ventricular remodelling - a stretching of the heart muscle. A heart attack puts the cardiac muscle at a risk of stretching out that can reduce the functioning of the heart's main pumping chamber.
"Part of the reason that it's hard for the heart to recover after a heart attack is that it has to keep pumping," said co-author, a professor at Brown University. "The idea here is to provide mechanical support for damaged tissue, which hopefully gives it a chance to heal," he added. The researchers said the patch, which costs "less than a penny",…
