TULLAHOMA, Tenn. (AP) — A southern Middle Tennessee hospital is participating in a study of a gene therapy drug to see if it can help patients with congestive heart failure.
The Tullahoma News (http://bit.ly/sad7od) reports that cardiologist Dinesh Gupta at the Harton Regional Medical Center is participating with local resident Steve Thomas, who suffers from an advanced form of the disease.
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Gupta said the study is double-blind, which means not even he knows whether Thomas is in the treated group, which gets the drug, or in the control group, which does not.
For Thomas, it doesn’t matter.
“I’m just glad to be able to help others if I can, whether it helps me or not,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I put my kids through.”
In 2011, Thomas suffered a heart attack and was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. After two emergency procedures, the hospital sent him home with Hospice care and gangrene in both legs.
“Vandy sent me home with ten days to live,” Thomas said, “but Dr. (Charles) Drummond basically saved my life. He amputated one leg, but was able to save the other one, and it saved my life.”
Gupta said Thomas has been getting treatment since then at Harton’s Wound Healing Center for issues stemming from the gangrene. In that time, Gupta said he has kept a “great attitude” and seems glad to just be alive.
“Mr. Thomas has been very open to this research and I’m very grateful for that,” Gupta said. “In fact, the Tullahoma community in general has been very supportive of studies like these, which has been fantastic.”
Nurse Celina Trussell, who is on Gupta’s research team, said it would be several years before enough data is collected for federal officials to consider approving the drug.
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Information from: The Tullahoma News, http://www.tullahomanews.com
