Investigation Of Sudden Cardiac Death In The Young
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$682,823.00
Summary
Sudden cardiac death is a major tragedy in young people. In approximately one third of such cases, no cause of death is found at autopsy. This study will investigate the causes of sudden cardiac death in the young, with a specific emphasis on the underlying genetic causes of sudden unexplained death. This information will be used for screening surviving family relatives, thereby improving both diagnostic and treatment-prevention opportunities and reducing sudden cardiac death in our community.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cause for an irregular heart beat. Catheter ablation is the only potential cure and involves passing wires via veins in the leg into the heart to deliver discrete small burns(ablation) around the pulmonary veins (PV), the major source for AF. Unfortunately 30-50% of patients have recurrent arrhythmia due to reestablishment of electrical connections. This multicentre internation trial examines whether more (maximal) ablation will improve the outcomes of ....Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cause for an irregular heart beat. Catheter ablation is the only potential cure and involves passing wires via veins in the leg into the heart to deliver discrete small burns(ablation) around the pulmonary veins (PV), the major source for AF. Unfortunately 30-50% of patients have recurrent arrhythmia due to reestablishment of electrical connections. This multicentre internation trial examines whether more (maximal) ablation will improve the outcomes of the procedure.Read moreRead less
Regulation Of RyR2 Channels By Calmodulin In Healthy And Diseased Hearts
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$614,421.00
Summary
In the heart, RyR2 is responsible for intracellular Ca2+ release. The RyR2 is comprised of a Ca2+ channel and accessory proteins such as CaM that regulate channel activity. Evidence suggests that RyR2 regulation by CaM is altered in heart failure and human arrhythmia syndromes, but there has been no direct evidence for this. We will provide this direct evidence plus determine how CaM regulates RyR2 channels and intracellular Ca2+ release and how this leads to cardiac arrhythmias.
Evaluating The Potential Of HERG Channel Agonists As Mechanistically Targeted Antiarrhythmics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$414,786.00
Summary
Abnormal heart rhythms cause ~10 % of deaths in the western world and this number is increasing. To date there has been little success in identifying drugs that are effective in treating these disorders. By studying a rhythm disturbance called long QT syndrome we will examine whether specifically targeting drugs to the molecular building blocks of these arrhythmias is an appropriate route for development of more effective drugs.
Circumvenous Ablation For Treatment Of Atrial Fibrillation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$341,844.00
Summary
Atrial fibrillation is the most common abnormal heart rhythm. It causes symptoms that may be disabling but also increases the risk of stroke and death. The lifetime risk of developing atrial fibrillation is 20-25%. Treatment with medications is often unsuccessful and is never curative. Recently a new minimally invasive procedure was developed that may cure some patients. The purpose of this clinical trial is to improve the curative technique to broaden the application of the new procedure.
Atrial Fibrillation And Hypertension: Reverse Cardiac Remodelling Post Renal Denervation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$90,144.00
Summary
Patients with hypertension are at increased risk of heart rhythm disorders, yet little is known if treatment of high blood pressure will improve abnormal rhythm. Renal denervation is a new and effective treatment for severe hypertension; this study will assess the adverse changes in heart structure and function due to severe hypertension, and investigate whether renal denervation can ameliorate these changes on a structural and electrical level.
Genetic Predisposition To Abnormal Atrial Substrate In Atrial Fibrillation (GENE-AF Study)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,531.00
Summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder worldwide and its incidence is growing. Our world-first research aims to demonstrate that individuals who carry specific genetic variants are more likely to develop abnormal electrical and structural changes in the heart, which predispose to AF. In doing so, we intend to find the link between genetics and AF, paving the way for research into novel targeted therapies to better manage this complex and difficult to treat disease.
Disturbances to the normal rhythm of the heart beat cause ~15% of deaths in our community. We wish to understand why the electrical signals in the heart can become chaotic. We will study a particular heart rhythm disturbance called acquired long QT syndrome to see if it is possible to develop a computer model that can accurately predict when and how arrhythmias will occur.
Heartbeats are considered to arise through specialised pacemaker cells establishing rhythmically generated (i.e. pacemaker) action potentials, which then trigger propagating action potentials in heart muscle causing contraction and pumping of blood. This research proposal aims to challenge the physical model that is used to describe this pacemaker process and resultant heart conduction. Our reasons for doing this derive from our discovery of an alternative pacemaker-conduction mechanism, which w ....Heartbeats are considered to arise through specialised pacemaker cells establishing rhythmically generated (i.e. pacemaker) action potentials, which then trigger propagating action potentials in heart muscle causing contraction and pumping of blood. This research proposal aims to challenge the physical model that is used to describe this pacemaker process and resultant heart conduction. Our reasons for doing this derive from our discovery of an alternative pacemaker-conduction mechanism, which we have shown to operate in various smooth muscles. This mechanism, termed store-based pacemaking, is entirely different to the currently held cardiac model but could readily achieve the same outcome. We will investigate the hypotheses that this pacemaker mechanism is also fundamental to mammalian heart pacemaking and conduction. Positive support for our hypotheses, as indicated by our findings on amphibian hearts and from pilot findings, may severely challenge the present model for cardiac pacemaking. Such an outcome will have major ramifications on present interpretation of cardiac function in health and disease and will be particularly important to interpretation of disorders associated with cardiac arrhythmias and heart conduction.Read moreRead less
Exploring The Link Between Alcohol And Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence: A Multicentre Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$122,714.00
Summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac rhythm disturbance & is associated with a doubling in mortality (due to heart failure & stroke) and significant morbidity. Recent studies indicate that alcohol intake (even at mild-moderate levels) is a risk factor for AF. This world-first multicentre randomised controlled trial of 200 patients with AF aims to determine whether abstinence from alcohol (or significantly reduced consumption) will reduce frequency and burden of AF episodes.