Method of treating chronic cardiac disease

Abstract

New therapeutic uses for BPI protein products that involve treatment of chronic cardiac disease.

1 . A method of treating a human with chronic cardiac disease comprising the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of a bactericidal/permeability-increasing (BPI) protein product to said human.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the BPI protein product is rBPI 21 .  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the chronic cardiac disease is chronic congestive heart failure.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the chronic cardiac disease is cardiomyopathy.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the chronic cardiac disease is a congenital heart defect.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the human exhibits elevated levels of circulating LPS.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the human exhibits elevated levels of circulating LBP.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the human exhibits elevated levels of circulating LPS and circulating LBP.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising concurrently administering a second therapeutic agent for treating the chronic cardiac disease state.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said chronic cardiac disease state is chronic congestive heart failure and the second therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of diuretics, positive inotropic agents, vasodilators and beta-blockers.