Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality globally, causing more than 17.9 million deaths yearly. In this regard, Italy is no exception: according to Istat data, in fact, in 2018, these disorders caused 232,000 deaths, 29% of which are attributable to ischemic heart diseases and 26% to cerebrovascular diseases, primarily stroke.
These diseases are also the most frequent cause of hospitalization in Italy, amounting to almost 900,000 ordinary hospitalizations (14.3% of the total). Among the most frequent causes are heart failure (168,000 hospitalizations), followed by percutaneous coronary angioplasty (134,000 hospitalizations) and acute myocardial infarction (130,000 hospitalizations).
This condition has also worsened with the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Many studies have shown that contracting the virus can exacerbate existing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular problems and create acute inflammatory, arrhythmic and thrombotic complications. The probability of death for a patient with previous cardiovascular disease in the case of COVID-19 infection is more than double that of those without cardiovascular problems. According to data from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, the analysis of 45,557 medical records of deceased positive people showed that among the most frequent pre-existing diseases in deceased patients are diabetes, ischemic heart disease, stroke, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and obesity.
The reported data paint a severe picture that sees millions of people worldwide needing valuable support to deal with the symptoms and consequences of these severe diseases.
First, it is important to clarify precisely what cardiovascular diseases are and their characteristics. They are defined as a group of pathologies that affect the heart and blood vessels (arteries and veins). These disorders can be congenital, if present from birth, or acquired if they arise later. Among the most common diseases of the cardiovascular system are atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, angina pectoris, aortic aneurysm, heart failure, chronic ischemic heart disease, and hypertension.
Cardiovascular risk factors are numerous and diverse, and their identification is essential because it represents a starting point for the assessment of the risk of the individual. These are divided into non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors. Among the first, we find genetic factors, gender (up to menopause, women have a lower cardiovascular risk than men), advanced age, and ethnicity, which imply genetic and environmental factors that determine a different sensitivity to different risk factors.
Among the possible causes that can be changed, however, there are elements that are part of the lifestyle, such as an incorrect diet, sedentary lifestyle, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, smoking, use of drugs and climatic factors, and air pollution but also certain conditions and pathologies such as overweight and obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemia, arterial hypertension, and others.
No symptom, by itself, indicates with certainty a heart disorder; However, some suggest its possible presence, especially in the case of the concomitance of cardiovascular risk indices. In particular, cardiovascular problems are often associated with wheezing, palpitations (perception of slow, fast, or irregular beats), fatigue, and sometimes chest pain.
If, on the one hand, the high incidence of these diseases persists, on the other hand, essential improvements have been made in the effectiveness of preventive, therapeutic, welfare, and rehabilitative measures of these diseases and the related risk factors. From this point of view, a fundamental role is also played by nutraceutical products that can support the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases: this is the case of CreaRibo, a formulation developed by the research and development laboratories of Biofarma Group.
CreaRibo is an innovative nutraceutical solution formulated to balance bioenergy needs by supporting cardiovascular and respiratory functions and improving the general living conditions of patients with cardiovascular problems. More specifically, the target group for which the product is intended includes elderly subjects, people with impaired cardiac function, respiratory disorders, and patients undergoing cardiac surgery, but also more generally active users and athletes.
The main components of the nutraceutical are D-ribose, creatine monohydrate, and vitamins B1 and B6. Ribose is a simple sugar naturally found in all living cells. The main function is to trigger the metabolic process for adenosine triphosphate or ATP production. On the other hand, D-Ribose acts in synergy with creatine and enhances its benefits. These functions are essential as cardiovascular disease is often associated with rapid ATP depletion, resulting in impaired heart function. Finally, vitamins B1 and B6 contribute to normal energy metabolism, reduce tiredness and fatigue, and regulate the functioning of the heart muscle.
The efficacy of the nutraceutical formulation is supported by a solid scientific background that includes a series of pre-clinical and clinical trials.
In the first phase (pre-clinical trials), both the first and the second studies observed the positive effect of the combined use of creatine and D-ribose in counteracting cardiovascular and respiratory diseases such as, for example, ventricular and pulmonary hypertension. According to the results, the simultaneous administration of these elements confers greater efficacy than their separate administration.
The second (clinical) phase served to test the effectiveness of the nutraceutical CreaRibo™ on people.
In the first study, the effects were seen in 30 patients suffering from chronic heart failure (clinically stable). The results revealed that the solution developed by Biofarma Group increases physical endurance, improves patients’ quality of life in terms of mobility, reduces discomfort and depression without side effects, and provides excellent results even in conjunction with standard drug therapy.
A subsequent study showed that CreaRibo, after six months of treatment in a population of 42 patients suffering from the coronary syndrome, significantly improved cardiovascular performance and oxygen demand by the myocardium and increased the chronotropic index (a measure of heart rate response associated with cardiovascular risk).
The dietary supplement was generally well tolerated and safe, as no side effects occurred during the entire study.
From this solid scientific background emerges a nutraceutical product with an excellent safety profile which, thanks to its essential efficacy, constitutes a potential adjuvant therapy in case of various disorders such as congestive heart failure, fibromyalgia (FMS), chronic fatigue (CFS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as in post-myocardial ischemia and post-cardiac surgery phases. The pharmaceutical form chosen is that of the powdered product, and the recommended treatment is the intake of one sachet a day dissolved in a glass of water.
CreaRibo is, therefore, a highly innovative supplement, a synergistic solution for the recovery and reduction of mild ischemic damage, whose uniqueness is also demonstrated by the granting of a patent obtained in Italy and being approved at the European level.
Edited by:
Arianna Vanelli: R&D Manager
Stefania Murzilli: Scientific Specialist
Italian Alliance for Cardio-Cerebrovascular Diseases, “Prevention of cardiovascular diseases throughout life,” 2021
The European House – Ambrosetti S.p.A , “NOT ONLY COVID-19 – Prioritizing cardio-cerebrovascular diseases”, 2020
A. Caretti, P. Bianciardi, G. Sala, C. Terruzzi, F. Lucchina, M. Samaja, “Supplementation of creatine and ribose prevents apoptosis in ischemic cardiomyocytes,” Cell Physiol Biochem, 2010
A. Caretti, P. Bianciardi, M. Marini, P. M Abruzzo, A. Bilotta, C. Terruzzi, F. Lucchina, M. Samaja, “Supplementation of creatine and ribose prevents apoptosis and right ventricle hypertrophy in hypoxic hearts,” Curr Pharmacy Design, 2013
“CreaRibo observational trial (COT): a real-life study in patients with chronic heart failure suffering asthenia,” Pharmanutrition and Functional Foods Anno I, Estratto del N. 4 – 2016 ISSN 2499-7196G. Derosa, S. Pasqualotto, G. Catena, A. D’Angelo, A. Maggi, P. Maffioli, “A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of a Food Supplement Containing Creatine and D-Ribose Combined with a Physical Exercise Program in Increasing Stress Tolerance in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease,” Nutrients 2019
