Monomeric C-reactive Protein As Pathogenic Factor And Therapeutic Target In Atherothrombotic Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$674,880.00
Summary
CRP is a plasma marker that can identify individuals at high risk for heart attack and stroke. Our preliminary data suggests that plasma CRP is not only an innocent marker, but can also be activated and thereby become a strong inflammatory stimulus by changing from a five unit to a single unit form on the surface of activated platelets. We will investigate this CRP activation in vitro, in animal models and in patients, and aim to develop new drug therapies for diseases such as heart attack.
Cardiac Effects Of Exposure To Melbourne Air Pollution Caused By The 2006/2007 Bushfires In Victoria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$59,000.00
Summary
This project investigates whether the air pollution that was caused by the 2006-2007 Victorian bushfires, had an effect on the health of people living in Melbourne. Cardiovascular effects will be studied by looking at hospital admissions, out-of-hospital heart attacks and the associated death toll. As it is the expectation that bushfires will increase in the future it is important to determine the impact this may have. This research will inform appropriate public health strategies.
POISE-2: A Large, International, Placebo-controlled, Factorial Trial To Assess The Impact Of Clonidine And Aspirin In Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery Who Are At Risk Of A Perioperative Cardiovascular Event
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,197,914.00
Summary
At least 5 million patients annually worldwide suffer a heart attack or die after noncardiac surgery. Despite the magnitude of this problem, there are no good treatments to prevent these complications. Previous studies suggest that the drugs clonidine and aspirin may minimize the risk of heart attack after surgery. The POISE-2 trial will study 10,000 patients having noncardiac surgery to determine if clonidine and aspirin improve outcomes. This trial will influence the treatment of patients havi ....At least 5 million patients annually worldwide suffer a heart attack or die after noncardiac surgery. Despite the magnitude of this problem, there are no good treatments to prevent these complications. Previous studies suggest that the drugs clonidine and aspirin may minimize the risk of heart attack after surgery. The POISE-2 trial will study 10,000 patients having noncardiac surgery to determine if clonidine and aspirin improve outcomes. This trial will influence the treatment of patients having surgery around the world.Read moreRead less
Plasma Metabolomic Profiling Of Patients With Serial Coronary Atheroma Progression For Predicting Myocardial Infarction And Death
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,114.00
Summary
Heart attacks are the leading cause of death, and half of all 1st heart attack victims have </= 1 known risk factors for coronary heart disease. There is an urgent need to better predict heart attack risk, and to develop new drugs to combat atherosclerosis. This study will involve a more advanced technique of identifying new molecules found in people who demonstrate progression of coronary atherosclerosis, heart attack and death, in the setting of a large-scale clinical trial testing a new ag ....Heart attacks are the leading cause of death, and half of all 1st heart attack victims have </= 1 known risk factors for coronary heart disease. There is an urgent need to better predict heart attack risk, and to develop new drugs to combat atherosclerosis. This study will involve a more advanced technique of identifying new molecules found in people who demonstrate progression of coronary atherosclerosis, heart attack and death, in the setting of a large-scale clinical trial testing a new agent that dramatically lowers cholesterol.Read moreRead less
Therapeutic Silencing Of Egr-1 By Novel Catalytic Oligodeoxynucleotides For The Treatment Of Acute Myocardial Infarction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$384,353.00
Summary
Heart attack remains a major health problem. We have identified a gene in the heart which is turned on in the first few hours of a heart attack. We have shown in principle that switching this gene off using a novel synthetic drug, reduces heart attack size. Our project assesses the long term effects of this drug on the heart using state of the art imaging when the the drug is administered in a clinically relevant manner. This study may faciliate a new treatment approach for this condition.
High blood pressure affects 1 in 5 Australian adults and is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity from heart attack and stroke. The condition tends to run in families and genetic predisposition, in the face of environmental factors, leads to the elevation in blood pressure. My Lab has demonstrated the capacity of a cohort of affected hypertensive sibships we have collected to find loci for essential hypertension at a level that has achieved genome-wide statistical significance and has been ....High blood pressure affects 1 in 5 Australian adults and is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity from heart attack and stroke. The condition tends to run in families and genetic predisposition, in the face of environmental factors, leads to the elevation in blood pressure. My Lab has demonstrated the capacity of a cohort of affected hypertensive sibships we have collected to find loci for essential hypertension at a level that has achieved genome-wide statistical significance and has been published in a leading molecular genetics journal. Moreover, this previous work, which included fine-mapping after finding a suggestive locus following a scan of chromosome 1, not only demonstrated significant linkage, but also went on to compare gene markers between a different cohort of (unrelated) hypertensive subjects with 2 affected parents (and early-onset, moderate to severe hypertension) and control normotensive matched subjects with unaffected parents, to identify a likely candidate gene. This same approach will be used to complete the rest of the genome. The discovery of all of the genes for essential hypertension will be an important prelude to: (1) developing new, more effective treatments, since the gene products responsible will be able to be targetted by novel therapeutics, (2) genotyping individuals early in life in order to advise them what their risk is, and thus allow couselling about lifestyle modification, (3) more logically apply existing treatment strategies according to the volume-neural-vasoconstrctor component of the contribution to high blood pressure.Read moreRead less
Risk And Determinants Of Fatal And Non-Fatal Coronary Heart Disease In The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,500.00
Summary
Heart disease is the leading cause of death and ill-health in Australia. Accordingly, it also imposes a significant cost burden to the community. The key to effective prevention is understanding of the roles of risk factors in the development of heart disease. These are best defined through the use of large cohort studies, which are those that follow up a group of individuals over time. Statistical analyses are used to develop prediction equations to quantify the effects of multiple risk factors ....Heart disease is the leading cause of death and ill-health in Australia. Accordingly, it also imposes a significant cost burden to the community. The key to effective prevention is understanding of the roles of risk factors in the development of heart disease. These are best defined through the use of large cohort studies, which are those that follow up a group of individuals over time. Statistical analyses are used to develop prediction equations to quantify the effects of multiple risk factors in terms of their contributions to risk of heart disease. The current heart disease prediction equations most commonly used in Australia are based on older overseas studies, such as the Framingham Heart Study. Other than having low relevance to the current Australian population, they incorporate only a limited range of traditional risk factors. A spectrum of new risk factors is emerging. This study aims to develop risk prediction equations for heart disease that are applicable to the current Australian population, using contemporary data from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Results from this study will allow the future onset of heart disease to be predicted with accuracy and confidence, which in turn will allow preventive strategies, including expensive drugs, to be utilised in a more effective manner. Ultimately, the results will lead to a more efficient allocation of limited healthcare resources in Australia.Read moreRead less
Prediction Of Ventricular Arrhythmias And Prevention Of Sudden Cardiac Death Following Revascularised Acute Myocardial Infarction.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$117,270.00
Summary
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of death in Australia. Patients with coronary artery disease and impaired left ventricular function are at increased risk of heart failure, reinfarction and sudden cardiac death (SCD). This research will evaluate optimal methods to identify patients at risk for SCD following AMI using echocardiographic, MRI, and electrophysiological characteristics, and improve survival by early identification and management of these high-risk patients.
Role Of Advanced Glycated End Products In Mediating Diabetes Associated Atherosclerosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$414,000.00
Summary
Diabetes is on the increase in the Western world and with this increase comes the burden of increased complications. One of these is atherosclerosis which leads to heart attacks, strokes and gangrene. In this grant we consider the role of a biochemical reaction where sugar attaches to proteins called advanced glycation and how it may promote atherosclerosis. We will use novel drugs to block vessel damage in a model of diabetic mice prone to atherosclerosis. We will also inject these sugar-attach ....Diabetes is on the increase in the Western world and with this increase comes the burden of increased complications. One of these is atherosclerosis which leads to heart attacks, strokes and gangrene. In this grant we consider the role of a biochemical reaction where sugar attaches to proteins called advanced glycation and how it may promote atherosclerosis. We will use novel drugs to block vessel damage in a model of diabetic mice prone to atherosclerosis. We will also inject these sugar-attached proteins (AGEs) into mice to see how they directly influence the vessel wall. We will characterise molecular and cellular changes in response to these AGEs. These studies will ultimately lead to better treatments to prevent, slow down or reverse blood vessel damage in diabetes.Read moreRead less