Researchers have identified a small molecule that inhibits the metabolism of microbiota previously linked to heart disease and atherosclerosis, lending hope that selectively targeting the pathway could reduce the cardiovascular risks believed associated with bacteria in the gut.
“This is the first time whereby specifically inhibiting a bacterial pathway, we’re inhibiting the development or progression of atherosclerotic heart disease,” said Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic. “An analogy is where Helicobacter pylori was discovered to be linked to the development of ulcers. We now actually treat ulcers in patients who are Helicobacter pylori-positive with an antibiotic cocktail to kill the Helicobacter pylori.”
