Possible predictors of Major Adverse Cardiac Events
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A feasibility study to evaluate a novel method of assessing microcirculatory function as a predictor of risk of Major Adverse Cardiac Events
IRAS ID
166742
Contact name
Tara Moore
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Ulster
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
In Northern Ireland each year 3500 people (10 people a day) are admitted to hospital with a heart
attack. Sadly 2,000 people each year die from heart disease while an additional 4,000 people a year (11
people a day) suffer a stroke.
Currently doctors mostly rely on factors such as age, blood pressure, cholesterol and obesity to predict
who is at most risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Despite this most people that suffer a heart attack
have no previous symptoms. There is a great need therefore to develop new ways to be able to warn
people they are at risk and prevent these devastating events.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) causes 50% of all deaths in Northern Ireland. CAD is caused by blocked
blood vessels near the heart, but doctors cannot view these vessels easily. It would be a major advance
for doctors to be able to view these vessels easily. We have recently discovered that the blood vessels at
the front of the eye may be used to predict risk of heart disease. The research outlined within this ethics application will be used to develop a new test to cheaply, quickly and easily predict a patient’s risk.
To do this we will conduct a feasibility study to compare a high-risk group to a control not at risk group to determine how limbal blood flow parameters differ. We will also investigate the differences in endothelium function between the high-risk and control groups by assessing markers found within the blood.REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0431
Date of REC Opinion
4 Dec 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion