Jennifer Matthews: Luvenia Callum could not do this three years ago.
Luvenia Callum: I would walk like four or five stairs and end up stopping and out of breath.
Jennifer Matthews: That was when the 45-year-old was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. That's the diagnosis when the heart muscle does not supply enough blood to the organs. It can be fatal.
Luvenia Callum: I thought I wasn't gonna be here to see my grandkids grow up.
Jennifer Matthews: Luvenia joined a clinical trial on the drug Bidil. Doctor Shelley Hankins says it's especially effective for african-americans. A combination of two other heart drugs, Bidil increases nitric oxide levels in the body.
Dr. Shelley Hankins: What nitric oxide does is cause blood vessels to relax, and so when blood vessels are relaxed this is thought to improve blood pressure and also reduce heart failure symptoms.
Luvenia Callum: I'm not short of breath like I was. I was short of breath every day, every morning, and I'm not anymore.
Jennifer Matthews: Over 1,000 African-American patients were given Bidil in addition to their standard medications. Death rates decreased by 43 percent. Doctor Hankins says this has huge implications.
Dr. Shelley Hankins: The incidence of cardiovascular disease is higher in African-Americans. It actually turns out that the African-Americans presented at a younger age and have a higher morbidity and mortality rate associated with cardiovascular illness.
Jennifer Matthews: Climbing her way to better health, Luvenia hopes this new drug will keep her from being a statistic. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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