Including vitamins C and E detains the progress of a catastrophic conditions in organ transplant patients, Doctor's suggest. About 62% of patients who undergo heart transplants develop hardened arteries, a condition called arteriosclerosis, in the first three years after their surgery.
A team from the Maryland's Women's Hospital, USA, found the condition was emanted among patients given the vitamins during a year-long study. Dr James Fang, who led the research, called for further tests to see if the benefits were permanent and if lung, kidney and liver transplant patients could also be helped.Arterosclerosis causes arteries to harden because of a build up of plaque - made up of cells, fat, cholesterol and other substances. This can lead to blood flow being blocked, preventing supply to the heart and brain. The researchers said their findings suggest that taking vitamin supplements could delay the onset of arteriosclerosis in the first year after heart transplantation.
DrJames said: "Our results suggest that vitamins C and E provide a clinically useful approach to reducing arteriosclerosis after cardiac transplantation. "Antioxidant therapy with these vitamins may also be useful in other solid-organ allografts [transplants], such as kidney, lung, and liver transplants."
