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New cancer drug could also treat heart disease
Scientists have repurposed a cancer drug to show it can help reduce plaque build-up caused by diabetes, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.
Atherosclerosis the build-up of fatty plaques on artery walls that can restrict blood flow and rupture causing dangerous blood clots is far more common in people with diabetes, leaving them with a much greater risk of cardiovascular disease than the general population.
More than 1.5 million Australians have diabetes, and despite many years of improvements in therapies that lower blood glucose or address other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, diabetes continues to approximately double the risk of developing or dying from CVD. A drug already in development could be welcome news for these high-risk Australians.