Pain Cream May Prevent Heart Attack Damage

A common, over-the-counter pain cream rubbed on the skin during a heart attack may prevent or reduce heart damage, U.S. researchers said.

Keith Jones, a researcher in the department of pharmacology and cell biophysics at the University of Cincinnati, and scientists in his lab found applying capsaicin to specific skin locations in mice caused sensory nerves in the skin to trigger signals in the nervous system.

The study, published in the journal Circulation, found these signals activate cellular "pro-survival" pathways in the heart which protect the muscle.

Capsaicin, the main component of chili peppers that produces a hot sensation, is the active ingredient in several topical medications used for temporary pain relief.

Jones said he is working with Dr. Neal Weintraub, a University of Cincinnati cardiologist and other clinicians are constructing a plan to test capsaicin in a human population.

"Topical capsaicin has no known serious adverse effects and could be easily applied in an ambulance or emergency room setting well in advance of coronary tissue death," Jones said in a statement.

"If proven effective in humans, this therapy has the potential to reduce injury and/or death in the event of a coronary blockage, thereby reducing the extent and consequences of heart attack."