Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular health in developing countries has been clearly identified as a global health priority
Overview
Cardiovascular health in developing countries has been clearly identified as a global health priority
The principal goal of the Cardiovascular Division is the discovery and implementation of new strategies for the prevention of stroke, heart attack and other major vascular diseases.
This focus reflects the global importance of vascular diseases as causes of premature death and disability.
Cardiovascular Disease Burden
In 2005, stroke and heart attack were the two leading causes of death worldwide, responsible for more than 13 million deaths. The burden of ill health caused by vascular diseases will rise sharply in the next few decades, particularly in developing countries.
By 2020, the toll in lower-income countries will outweigh that in higher-income countries by a factor of four. The requirement for major new initiatives addressing cardiovascular health in developing countries has been clearly identified as a global health priority.
The 2002 World Health Report emphasised the potential benefits of more effective vascular disease prevention strategies. The leading risk factors for stroke and heart attack are:
- blood pressure
- tobacco
- cholesterol
- being overweight
Collectively, these risk factors account for more than half the entire disease burden in developing countries.
Population interventions that seek to reduce levels of blood pressure and cholesterol and individualised interventions targeting high-risk patients have been identified as particularly promising strategies for cost-effective disease prevention.
New Projects
- GAP (Guidelines Adherence with the Polypill)
This is an Australian trial evaluating whether a "polypill" will help patients who have to take multiple medicines to help prevent cardiovascular events. - PILL
A multinational pilot study of the use of a "polypill" to prevent cardiovascular events among high risk individuals. - Electronic Decision Support for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events
This study involves the preliminary assessment of a novel electronic decision support tool that integrates risk assessment with multiple Australian guidelines to provide individualised treatment recommendations for patients.
Ongoing Projects
- ADVANCE (or, Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron MR Controlled Evaluation)
This study aims to provide new evidence about widely practical treatment strategies for the prevention of the vascular complications of diabetes. - Clinical Pathways for Acute Coronary Syndromes - CPACS
A study examining acute coronary syndrome management in China. - The Kanyini Vascular Collaboration
The Cardiovascular Division is also contributing to a major new health services research program aimed at improving necessary care for Indigenous Australians with chronic disease.
Future Directions
An ongoing focus of future research within the Cardiovascular Division will be translational studies, aimed at discovering new methods to maximise the implementation of existing and new evidence into practice, particularly in primary health care settings. This work has been facilitated by the development of new collaborations, both within Australia and internationally.