OPTICO-ACS II Study

Study Status: In Study

The OPTICO-ACS-II study at the Friede Springer – Cardiovascular Prevention Center at Charité focuses in particular on plaque erosion—a topic that has received little research attention to date—in order to gain new insights for more precise risk assessment and targeted prevention.

Why Heart Attacks Can Have Different Causes

An acute coronary syndrome (ACS), better known as a heart attack, is a medical emergency: The sudden blockage of a coronary artery critically restricts or completely interrupts the oxygen supply to the heart muscle. However, the processes that lead to this blockage vary from person to person, which also significantly influences the risk of complications.

Plaque Rupture and Plaque Erosion

The most common cause is what is known as plaque rupture. In this process, fatty deposits (primarily consisting of LDL cholesterol) in the vessel wall rupture and form a blood clot that blocks the coronary arteries. The risk factors for this are already well known: obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and elevated blood lipid levels.

The situation is quite different when it comes to the second most common cause, plaque erosion: The exact biological mechanisms underlying this condition have been little studied to date. All that is known is that it disproportionately affects younger women. The OPTICO-ACS II study at the Friede Springer Prevention Center aims to address precisely this gap in knowledge.

Plaque Rupture and Plaque Erosion: The Most Common Cause of a Heart Attack

How is this study conducted?

To this end, the research team is combining high-resolution images of the coronary arteries with precise laboratory analyses of immune cells and inflammatory responses. This integration is intended to shed light on why certain vascular changes become unstable and lead to a heart attack. In addition, the team is searching for new biomarkers to enable much more accurate assessment of individual risk for affected individuals in the future.

Purpose of the Study

Gain a better understanding of how coronary events develop, with the specific goal of diagnosing patients with plaque erosion earlier and providing them with personalized protection against further cardiovascular events.

Coronary angiography showing acute occlusion of a coronary artery prior to stent implantation
Before Stent Implantation

Acute occlusion of a coronary artery.
Coronary angiography showing acute occlusion of a coronary artery following stent implantation
After stent implantation
Acute occlusion of a coronary artery.

Project staff

  • Prof. Dr. U. Landmesser (Principal Investigator)
  • Y. Abdelwahed, M.D. (Co-PI)
  • Denitsa Meteva, M.D. (Co-PI)
  • Meret Fischer, MSc, Ph.D. candidate
  • Sabine Knüppel, MTA

If you have any questions about this study, please feel free to contact Dr. D. Meteva:
denitsa.meteva@dhzc-charite.de