Oxford researchers have found that while having high cholesterol levels does not influence a person’s risk of aortic or mitral regurgitation, it does increase their risk of developing another major heart valve disease – aortic stenosis. Aortic stenosis is the most common form of heart valve disease in developed countries and is thought to affect … Read more
Almost half of chronic kidney disease is unrecognised
A study by Oxford researchers has found that more than 18 percent of over-60s have chronic kidney disease (CKD), around 44 percent of whom are undiagnosed without screening. CKD is a potentially serious condition, but is associated with few, if any, symptoms. It is thought to affect around 15 percent of people aged over 35 … Read more
Heart failure care must address patients’ broader health if survival rates are to improve
Oxford BRC-supported researchers have provided new evidence that might explain why the prognosis of heart failure patients has improved so little over the past decade. Findings show that a decline in cardiovascular deaths has been offset by an increase in the number of deaths from infections and respiratory problems, highlighting the importance of focusing on … Read more
Research suggests high blood pressure is major cause of heart valve disease
New research has conclusively found that long-term exposure to high blood pressure increases the risk of heart valve disease, with significant implications for clinical practice guidelines and health management. “Clinical practice guidelines currently make little reference to preventative strategies for major valvular heart diseases, but this study highlights that high blood pressure should be considered … Read more
NIHR Oxford BRC Senior Research Fellows named
The Oxford BRC is delighted to announce the appointment of seven new Senior Research Fellows. They were chosen from an extremely strong field of 47 applicants from across the scientific and clinical community because they demonstrated that their research was high impact and of high quality . They were also able to demonstrate leadership, independence … Read more
Event showcases BRC work tackling chronic diseases
Around 170 people attended a BRC event on Tuesday (26 March) that provided an opportunity to network and to hear about the breadth of research taking place in Oxford to combat chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and dementia. The Chronic Disease Cluster, which brings together six research themes – Obesity, Multimorbidity, Diabetes, … Read more
Oxford medical researchers win prestigious national awards
Four leading healthcare academics in Oxford have received a prestigious national award. The University of Oxford professors have been named National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigators in recognition of their “outstanding contribution to clinical and applied health and social care research”. The successful candidates are all prominent researchers in the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre … Read more
Only “modest” improvement in heart failure survival rates since 2000
Survival after a diagnosis of heart failure in the United Kingdom has shown only modest improvement in the 21st Century and lags behind other serious conditions, such as cancer, a large study supported by the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre has found. The findings, published by the BMJ, also show that survival is worse for people … Read more
Researchers worried that people with chronic disease are not active enough
A study of over 96,000 men and women in the UK, with an average age of 64.5 years, has found that those with chronic conditions are spending considerably less time on physical activity than their healthy peers, and so are missing out on its health management benefits. The George Institute for Global Health at the … Read more
BRC Theme Lead Richard Hobbs appointed CBE
Professor Richard Hobbs, the NIHR Oxford BRC’s Theme Lead for Multimorbidity and Long-term Conditions, has been appointed a CBE in the 2019 New Year’s Honours for his services to medical research. Prof Hobbs, a practising inner-city GP for over 38 years, is Head of the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences … Read more