Novel Cardiovascular Interventions
The main objectives of the novel cardiovascular interventions research strand are to effect the translation of innovations discovered through our core research; and to test some of our basic pre-clinical and clinical findings to evaluate their therapeutic potential.
We have created a robust and reputational legacy of developing drug eluding vascular stents – ‘scaffolds’ that deliver drugs and prevent narrowing of the arteries- which have resulted in improved outcomes for patients. Our work trying to understand the principles behind the effective treatment of narrowed arteries discovered at the same time as clinical presentation of blocked arteries in patients presenting with a heart attack has led to changes in guidelines for heart care in America and Europe.
Bench discoveries on growing new blood vessels where they are blocked and innovative ways of treating branch points with stents is on-going, while repurposing drugs has also proved to be a rich research field.
Our research has had local, national and international impact and cardiovascular research in Leicester is now acknowledged world-wide.
Key areas of work include:
- Unmet challenges in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
- Minimising reperfusion injury in acute myocardial infarction
- Reducing risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD)
- Reducing acute kidney injury during cardiac surgery
Some examples of our work include:
- CvLPRIT treating narrowed arteries at the same time as blocked arteries in patients who have experienced a myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- PRESTIGE finding predictors of risk of stent thrombosis (a blood clot in a stent fitted in an artery following a heart attack)
- REVAKI 2 reducing kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac surgery
- EASY-AS valve replacement surgery for severe asymptomatic aortic stenosis
- LifeMap using newly developed ECG risk markers to accurately predict which patients will benefit from ICDs
- PREDICT improving the detection, prevention, and management of heart failure in a multi-ethnic population with type 2 diabetes.
The search continues for better ways of treating patients with cardiovascular conditions – only through institutions such as the BRC can these aspirations be fully met.