Cardiovascular Responses To Stress And Arousal: Hypothalamic And Brainstem Mechanisms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$566,468.00
Summary
Stressful episodes in everyday life cause increases in blood pressure, mainly via activation of nerves that constrict blood vessels and increase heart rate. This in turn increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or other cardiovascular diseases. This project aims to identify the brain mechanisms that cause these stress-evoked effects. This knowledge may lead to much more effective ways of minimising stress-evoked responses, and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular disorders.
Determinants Of Health In Adolescence Of Extremely Low Birth Weight Or Extreme Prematurity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,417,604.00
Summary
We will uniquely determine the health outcomes at age 16 years of 298 very tiny (birth weight <1000 g) or preterm (<28 weeks' gestational age) children born in Victoria in 1991-92, compared with 262 normal birthweight children. We will track the pathways to the various health outcomes from a combination of social, biological, genetic and environmental influences, some of which have been obtained from detailed assessments of the children earlier in life, at birth, 2, 5, and 8 years of age.
Role Of The Hypothalamus, Oxidative Stress And Angiotensin In Chronic Stress
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$535,333.00
Summary
Stress can trigger life threatening cardiovascular events and its impact is much greater when blood pressure is raised. We seek to determine which chemical type of brain neuron and which region is responsible for amplifying the responses to repeated stress in an animal model that closely resembles the human form of the disease. We will focus specifically on the hypothalamus which controls the sympathetic nervous system.
A Randomised Trial Of The Effects Of Cholesterol Lowering Therapy Among Patients With Chronic Renal Impairment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$333,250.00
Summary
People with kidney disease are well known to be at high risk of developing major health problems earlier in life than people without kidney problems. In particular, people with kidney disease are more likely to suffer from heart attacks and strokes. For a number of other high-risk patient groups (such as people with heart disease), studies have clearly shown that cholesterol-lowering treatment can significantly reduce the risks of serious complications. However, until now, patients with kidney d ....People with kidney disease are well known to be at high risk of developing major health problems earlier in life than people without kidney problems. In particular, people with kidney disease are more likely to suffer from heart attacks and strokes. For a number of other high-risk patient groups (such as people with heart disease), studies have clearly shown that cholesterol-lowering treatment can significantly reduce the risks of serious complications. However, until now, patients with kidney disease have generally been excluded from such studies because of concerns about drug side effects. New, better-tolerated cholesterol lowering drugs now offer an opportunity to see if this highly effective treatment is also protective among people with kidney disease. The HARP (Heart And Renal Protection) trial is a large new study that will be done as a collaboration between Australian researchers and researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK. The aim of the study is to see if low doses of two cholesterol-lowering drugs can reduce the risks of stroke and heart attack. The study will include about 9,000 people with chronic kidney disease followed for an average of 4 years. It is hoped that by using low doses of two treatments, rather than a high dose of one, it will be possible to get substantial benefits without side effects. There are presently many tens of thousands of individual in Australia with chronic kidney disease and many millions of such individuals worldwide. The results of the HARP study will therefore influence the care of a very large number of people. If the results were positive, implementation of this new treatment would be expected to prevent many tens of thousands of premature strokes and heart attacks around the world each year.Read moreRead less
Assessing Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk In Aboriginal People
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$73,550.00
Summary
Aboriginal Australians have higher death rates from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than other Australians, with rates in young and middle aged people increased 15-fold or more. A multi-factor approach, which considers all the risk factors, is the best strategy to identify and reduce CVD risk. The first step for selection of risk-reduction therapy in an individual is to assess his-her risk status and the benefit of intervention. Several risk assessment tools, incorporating traditional risk factors, ....Aboriginal Australians have higher death rates from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than other Australians, with rates in young and middle aged people increased 15-fold or more. A multi-factor approach, which considers all the risk factors, is the best strategy to identify and reduce CVD risk. The first step for selection of risk-reduction therapy in an individual is to assess his-her risk status and the benefit of intervention. Several risk assessment tools, incorporating traditional risk factors, have been developed from Western populations. They would be most appropriately applied to individuals who resemble the study sample; their validity in Aboriginal Australians has not been evaluated and no risk prediction formulae have been developed specifically for Aboriginal people. Recent reports suggest that a variety of other non-traditional risk factors also influence CVD risk, including markers of central fat deposition, inflammation, nutrition, alcohol use and early growth. Given the disadvantaged circumstances of many Aboriginal people, it is likely that some of the factors are influencing their CVD risk. The applicants have collected baseline risk factor data on volunteers in one Aboriginal community and followed their course, including CVD deaths and CVD hospitalisations, for more than a decade. From this baseline information, which goes beyond traditional risk markers, and from additional measures like birthweight, and markers of inflammation and nutrition assayed in retrieved serum, we will develop a variety of models for predicting a CVD risk in this group. We will also lay plans to evaluate these tools in other Aboriginal groups. A better understanding of the causes of CVD in this population is important to influence public health policy for CVD prevention. The models will be helpful health education tools at the community level and will allow therapeutic or lifestyle intervention in individuals to be targeted at their individual risk profile.Read moreRead less
The LIPID Study: 16 Year Outcomes And Predictors Of Risk And Their Interactions In CHD Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$756,559.00
Summary
The single most common cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, is hardening of the arteries. This can largeley be prevented and this research seeks to expand our knowledge of new indicators of risk and their interaction with the traditional risk factors, such as smoking. With increased understanding, it is very possible that novel factors will be discovered which will lead to very important new treatments to prevent problems like heart attack in the future.
Aliskiren: Cardioprotection By Increased Bradykinin Levels?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$295,236.00
Summary
Aliskiren is a new treatment for hypertension. Our recent studies indicate that aliskiren may have additional benefits for patients with ischaemic heart disease and heart failure. This research project will investigate the effects of aliskiren in different forms of heart disease in rats, in order to provide information that will help patients obtain the maximum benefit from this treatment.
Effects Of Ghrelin Receptor Ligands On Cardiovascular Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$516,207.00
Summary
Ghrelin is a hormone that is known to control food intake and growth hormone release. Our recent work shows that compounds that mimic ghrelin�s actions influence blood pressure by their effects in the brain, the spinal cord and on arteries. We will investigate the potential of such compounds to treat blood pressure disorders
Invasive Assessment Of Pulmonary Vascular Physiology - Novel Methods For Early Detection Of Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$274,352.00
Summary
Pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) is a lethal condition characterised by progressive destruction of the lung blood vessels. One major problem with PVD is that diagnosis is often made very late in the illness, when the pulmonary blood pressure rises. This project aims to develop a novel method to detect the early and clinically silent phase of PVD, by assessing the lung's blood vessel reserves. Early diagnosis of PVD will enable earlier treatment thereby improving prospects for treatment.
Panic Disorder: Neurobiology And Mechanisms Of Cardiac Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$456,657.00
Summary
Some people are subject to episodes of recurring, often inexplicable anxiety which are very unpleasant and accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, palpitations, tremor and a sensation of suffocation. Recurring attacks over a period of months, or years, forms the basis for the diagnostic of panic disorder. It has until recently been felt that although panic disorder was distressing and disabling, it did not constitute a risk of life. Sufferers often fear that they have heart disease, b ....Some people are subject to episodes of recurring, often inexplicable anxiety which are very unpleasant and accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, palpitations, tremor and a sensation of suffocation. Recurring attacks over a period of months, or years, forms the basis for the diagnostic of panic disorder. It has until recently been felt that although panic disorder was distressing and disabling, it did not constitute a risk of life. Sufferers often fear that they have heart disease, because of the nature of their symptoms, but have been reassured that this is not the case. Recent epidemiological studies, however, indicate that there is an increased risk in patients with panic disorder. Our hypotheses in this research project are as follow: That some specific genes predispose to the development of panic disorder - through actions on the nervous system and blood vessels That drug treatment (selective serotonin uptake blockers) and psychological treatment (cognitive behaviour therapy, CBT) reduce cardiac risk in panic disorder We will test these hypothesis using state of the art clinical scientific methods. Panic disorder has an important cardiological dimension which needs to be better understood for cardiac protection to be achieved in panic disorder patients.Read moreRead less