Study: Misuse of antibiotics destroys intestinal flora and increases mortality from myocardial infarction

The problem of antibiotic abuse is becoming increasingly serious, causing global concern. The Institute of Biomedical Sciences of Academia Sinica used a mouse experiment to prove that "abuse of antibiotics will lead to an imbalance in intestinal flora, which in turn affects the repair function of the immune system and significantly increases the risk of death from myocardial infarction."

Research using laboratory mice found that the misuse of antibiotics will significantly increase the mortality rate of cardiovascular diseases.

This major discovery not only confirms that "the misuse of antibiotics will significantly increase the mortality rate of cardiovascular diseases", but the research team also found that if combined with "lactic acid probiotic therapy", it is expected to improve the repair function of the heart after damage. This local research was published in the international medical journal Circulation on October 8 this year.

Misuse of antibiotics can destroy the body's good bacteria

According to Xie Qinghe, a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, antibiotics are currently commonly used drugs in medical treatment. However, the abuse and misuse of antibiotics will cause drug-resistant strains to appear and increase rapidly, develop drug resistance, and even evolve into super bacteria. Studies have found that the misuse of antibiotics can destroy the body's good bacteria.

After using antibiotics to eliminate intestinal bacteria in mice, the research team found that the mortality rate of mice undergoing simulated myocardial infarction surgery increased significantly, and most of them died from heart rupture. The research team further discovered that the key is the lack of "short-chain fatty acids", the metabolites of intestinal bacteria.

Antibiotics are commonly used drugs in current medical treatment, but the abuse and misuse of antibiotics can produce fatal drug resistance.

Bacterial imbalance can reduce the body's resistance

Researcher Xie Qinghe emphasized that short-chain fatty acids are the main metabolites of anaerobic fermentation by intestinal bacteria and are also important factors in maintaining the function of immune cells. During myocardial infarction, a large number of necrotic cells are produced, which induce the body's immune response to repair and maintain the stability of the heart structure. However, if the body lacks short-chain fatty acids, the repair function of the immune system will be affected, thereby increasing the chance of death from heart rupture.

The "human microbiome" that exists inside and outside the human body is several times the total number of human cells. These huge numbers of microorganisms form a symbiotic relationship with the human body. After using antibiotics, some bacteria will be suppressed, and the unsuppressed bacteria will take the opportunity to multiply, causing bacterial imbalance and reducing the body's resistance.

(Photo courtesy of Academia Sinica)

Lactobacillus can regulate bacterial flora to improve heart repair after damage

It is now known that the balance of intestinal flora is closely related to human obesity, metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer, mental and neurodegenerative diseases, and can be regarded as an important symbiotic partner for humans to maintain health. Some recent research papers have pointed out that the imbalance of intestinal flora is related to the development of cardiovascular disease. This study further deciphers the mechanism of action.

The co-authors of the paper, research assistant Tang Wenhong and postdoctoral researcher Chen Hongzhi, said that this study took several years and confirmed that the problem of antibiotic abuse will affect the prognosis of other diseases. In addition, the research team also found that by combining the currently popular lactic acid probiotic therapy with Lactobacillus, it is possible to improve the repair function of the heart after damage by changing the composition of intestinal flora and its metabolites.

The paper was published in the journal Circulation on October 8, Eastern Time. The title of the article is "Loss of Gut Microbiota Alters Immune System Composition and Cripples Post-Infarction Cardiac Repair".