Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a new type of imaging test to provide an early warning of coronary artery disease, and the risk of heart attacks. The new imaging technique can be applied as a new feature in routine computed tomography angiography (CTA), and will improve the diagnosis and management of coronary … Read more
News for Cardiovascular
Unique Oxford study of vascular disease welcomes 10,000th participant
Peter Casey was the study’s 10,000th patient The only project of its kind anywhere that studies all acute vascular events, such as strokes and heart attacks, to develop … Read more
High blood pressure linked to vascular dementia
High blood pressure could significantly raise the risk of developing the second most common form of dementia, according to a new study from The George Institute for Global Health. The medical records of more than four million people were analysed with researchers finding heightened blood pressure was associated with a 62 per cent higher risk … Read more
Immediate aspirin after mini-stroke substantially reduces risk of major stroke
Using aspirin urgently could substantially reduce the risk of major strokes in patients who have minor ‘warning’ events, a group of European researchers has found. Writing in the Lancet, the team say that immediate self-treatment when patients experience stroke-like symptoms would considerably reduce the risk of major stroke over the next few days. Aspirin is … Read more
Heart warning over “fight or flight” tumour
A rare tumour that randomly secretes stress hormones – historically leading some doctors to diagnose sufferers with a psychiatric disorder – does more damage to the heart than previously thought, University of Oxford research reports today. In the largest study of its kind, researchers said phaeochromocytoma tumours in the adrenal glands, which sit above the … Read more
Statin treatment before heart surgery does not prevent heart damage or atrial fibrillation
Giving daily doses of statins for a few days before and after heart surgery does not prevent heart muscle damage or the development of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to an international clinical trial led by the University of Oxford and co-funded by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. The trial, which is the largest of … Read more
New tool to improve blood pressure measurement
Scientists at Oxford University have developed a new way of estimating our true underlying blood pressure that overcomes common problems in a clinical setting which can lead to misleading results. Blood pressure measurement is frequently used by medics to understand our health, and dangerously high blood pressure (hypertension) can lead to serious conditions like heart … Read more
Give blood pressure drugs to all at risk, study urges
Blood pressure-lowering drugs should be offered to all individuals at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke regardless of their blood pressure at the start of treatment, according to the largest meta-analysis conducted to date involving over 600,000 people, published in The Lancet. The authors call for an urgent revision of current blood … Read more
Study shows benefit of reducing blood pressure under targets
Using intensive treatment to lower blood pressure below currently recommended targets significantly reduces rates of major cardiovascular events like stroke and heart attack among a wide range of high-risk patients, a study supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre has found. Treating high blood pressure is known to be closely associated with health in … Read more
Blood pressure linked to diabetes in major new study
High blood pressure sufferers have an almost 60 per cent greater chance of developing diabetes, according to a major global study. Study author Professor Kazem Rahimi said that in face of earlier conflicting and inconclusive reports, this study now reliably shows the connection between high blood pressure and diabetes and it could lead to new … Read more
European first for JR rare disease conference
Dr Bart Loeys, Dr Alex Pitcher and Dr Hal Dietz (left to right) Patients, their families, clinicians and scientists came to the John Radcliffe Hospital from around the world for the first meeting of its kind in Europe on a rare cardiovascular disease. More than 160 people attended the Saturday, September 5 event on Loeys-Dietz syndrome, … Read more
JR facilities to open for public tours
Residents can tour two John Radcliffe Hospital facilities to learn about the history and treatment of conditions such as stroke and heart attack next month. The facilities will open on Friday September 11 as part of the Open Doors programme of events on September 12 and 13, when famous city buildings are opened to the … Read more
Heart failure patients applaud support app
Heart failure patients have praised an NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre-supported project that allows them to monitor their condition and communicate with researchers through tablet computers. A survey of users reported they found the system – through which they monitored their blood pressure, heart rate and weight – was easy to use and helped reassured … Read more
Premature babies found to have smaller hearts in later life
Young adults who were born prematurely have smaller hearts with thicker walls than those who were born after full-length pregnancies, according to researchers in Oxford. The extent of the differences were unexpected and they are part of an emerging picture of changes in the heart, blood vessels and blood pressure of adults born after pregnancies … Read more
Oxford heart research centre gets £6m boost
Ground-breaking heart research in Oxford has been given a multi-million pound boost thanks to the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The Oxford BHF Centre of Research Excellence, one of only six in the UK, has been awarded a further £6m by the charity to continue its work. The Oxford Centre incorporates several University of Oxford departments … Read more
Vital signs for newborns standardised
New reference ranges for children’s heart and breathing rates have been produced by Oxford University scientists to help doctors assess these vital signs. The new reference charts, based on an analysis of 69 studies including a total of some 143,000 children, differ widely from existing guidelines in use. The researchers, led by Dr Matthew Thompson … Read more
Heart disease linked to a few rogue genes
Heart disease is linked to just a few rogue genes as well as lifestyle choices, landmark research into Britain’s biggest killer has found. The 18 genes that raise the risk of cardiac problems, from heart attacks to hardening of the arteries, have been pinpointed in three studies involving hundreds of scientists worldwide. The breakthrough opens … Read more
3G Ambulance Technology Monitors Vital Signs in Heart Attack Patients
Doctors, engineers, scientists, clinicians and ambulance paramedics are working together on a National Instititue for Health Research (NIHR) funded project which could shave off vital time between patient assessment, diagnosis and treatment for those with suspected heart attacks, and give earlier and more accurate warning of those at risk of clinical deterioration. Lionel Tarassenko, Professor of … Read more
Maternal stroke history linked to Myocardial Infarction risk in women
Women whose mothers had a stroke are at increased risk for both stroke and myocardial infarction, new research has shown. In a study of sex-of-parent and sex-of-proband interactions for family history of stroke in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, Amitava Banerjee of the University of Oxford, England, and colleagues evaluated the family histories of 1,957 … Read more
Who’s the best surgeon for unblocking your arteries?
A Daily Mail article (23.11.10) features the country’s top heart doctors, as recommended by their peers. Two of the best doctors (Adrian Banning and Bernard Prendergast) come from Oxford, read more.