Despite
positive developments in medication and lifestyle changes to reduce
risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and
atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in arteries), stroke and heart attack
remain the leading cause of death worldwide.
Innovation in medical care
and medical devices will likely play a central role in improving long
term cardiovascular health outcomes. Over the past several years,
Lexington Biosciences has focused on the health of the
endothelium,
which is the critical inner lining covering all blood vessels throughout
the body.
We are excited to introduce the
HeartSentry device as an
important endothelial health measurement tool,
which can serve as an
early predictor in the cardiovascular disease process.
From
the heart to the tiniest capillary, endothelial cells form the
innermost lining of the entire circulatory system. Cumulatively called
the endothelium, it is composed of a single layer of cells which are
critical to vascular health, and which may function as a kind-of
“built-in” sensor for the vascular system. They act to guide the
arteries to dilate or constrict under stress or other external stimuli.
Disruption
of normal endothelial function is known to be a precursor to CVD and
atherosclerosis. In short, as the vascular system becomes burdened with
atherosclerosis, the endothelial cells stop working as well as they did
as before, which can provide a key signal that the health of the
cardiovascular system has been adversely affected. A dysfunctional
endothelium can be one of the earliest signs that plaque is accumulating
inside arteries, which can be non-invasively observed as an inability
to dilate effectively under different flow conditions or environmental
stresses.
Once
the endothelium is disrupted and plaque starts to accumulate, it’s
usually there for good – barring medical intervention. If left untreated
over time, plaque will eventually increase until it blocks the artery
or breaks free to enter the circulatory system. The result is typically
either a heart attack or a stroke.
The
good news is that medication can help improve cardiovascular disease
and decrease risk of catastrophic events like heart attack or stroke.
Therefore monitoring endothelial function may offer an essential
approach to prevent cardiovascular disease and guide treatment.
This is
why we have developed and positioned HeartSentry as a front line
cardiovascular diagnostic device.
While
the above is widely acknowledged in medical circles, most of the
general population aren’t aware of the importance of the endothelium
because few people undergo testing for it. Testing modalities are
currently limited, and often involve procedures which can be hard to
perform such as flow-mediated dilation (FMD) to evaluate endothelial
function. FMD measures the endothelial response during reactive
hyperemia (changes in blood flow). However, it has shortcomings in that
it is difficult to perform and is subject to a high degree of user
dependent test variability.
While
the literature supports endothelial assessment as being a valuable
precursor of CVD and atherosclerosis, many of the tests to evaluate it
can be invasive or difficult to perform and, all too often, are not
ordered until the disease has undergone significant progression.
We
believe that a non-invasive, reproducible, and instantaneous test of
endothelial function could be a game-changer for long term
cardiovascular disease prevention.
Lexington Biosciences has developed
an easy-to-use device that will enable users to obtain endothelial
function measurements as easily as stepping on a scale or measuring
blood pressure or temperature, that can be done in a clinic or
potentially even from the comfort of home.
We are optimistic that
HeartSentry can help to fill this important need, advancing the field to
help prevent cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke.
