Salt And Cardiovascular Disease: Does Acute Salt-Sensitivity Convey Greater Cardiovascular Risk?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$597,578.00
Summary
Salt intake of Australian adults is 10X more than required. Further, salt intake in very young children is alarmingly high secondary to high consumption of salty snacks and processed food. High dietary salt intake has been associated with increased cardiovascular disease and death. We will examine the cardiovascular risks for adults and children on a high salt diet and examine whether switching to a low salt diet ameliorates the high blood pressure and heart disease caused by high salt diets
Role Of AMP-activated Protein Kinase In Salt Excretion And Hypertension
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$133,351.00
Summary
High blood pressure is a significant health problem and may result from the kidneys not being able to get rid of salt properly. The mechanisms underlying this are unclear. I will investigate the role of a kidney protein, called AMPK, in salt excretion in mice. I will also look at the effects that diabetes and obesity have on the function of this protein. The overall aim is to improve the understanding of what causes high blood pressure which will ultimately aid the development of new treatments ....High blood pressure is a significant health problem and may result from the kidneys not being able to get rid of salt properly. The mechanisms underlying this are unclear. I will investigate the role of a kidney protein, called AMPK, in salt excretion in mice. I will also look at the effects that diabetes and obesity have on the function of this protein. The overall aim is to improve the understanding of what causes high blood pressure which will ultimately aid the development of new treatments for it.Read moreRead less
FUNCTIONAL IDENTIFICATION OF CORTICAL AND SUBCORTICAL SITES RESPONSIBLE FOR NEUROGENIC HYPERTENSION IN HUMANS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$514,644.00
Summary
Blood pressure is normally maintained at a relatively constant level through reflexes involving the brainstem, but we have recently shown that higher areas of the brain are also involved in the regulation of blood pressure in humans. Here, we will use the novel methodologies we have developed to study functional and structural changes in the brain in patients with essential and renovascular hypertension.
Hypothalamic Regulation Of Cardiovascular Function In Hypertension And Stress
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$570,880.00
Summary
Blood pressure is controlled to a large extent by nerves, known as sympathetic nerves, that supply the heart and blood vessels. The activity of sympathetic nerves is commonly increased in people with high blood pressure, particularly younger patients. This has the effect of constricting blood vessels and increasing heart rate, which places an additional load on the heart, and increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Sympathetic nerves are also activated strongly in response to stress. In ....Blood pressure is controlled to a large extent by nerves, known as sympathetic nerves, that supply the heart and blood vessels. The activity of sympathetic nerves is commonly increased in people with high blood pressure, particularly younger patients. This has the effect of constricting blood vessels and increasing heart rate, which places an additional load on the heart, and increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Sympathetic nerves are also activated strongly in response to stress. In some people stress can trigger an extreme reaction, called a panic disorder, characterised by intense sympathetic activation, which also increases the risk of heart attacks. A region in the brain called the hypothalamus plays a key role in generating these increases in sympathetic nerve activity. This project aims first to identify the precise region or regions in the hypothalamus that are responsible for causing increased sympathetic activity in high blood pressure, and also in response to acute stress. There is also evidence from studies in humans that drugs which act on a particular type of receptor in the brain (called a serotonin receptor) can strongly inhibit the normal response to stress. We also aim to determine exactly where and how such drugs work. These studies may lead to much more effective treatments for high blood pressure and stress-related disorders.Read moreRead less
Sympathetic Nervous System Contribution To Hypertension : CNS Pathways, Neurotransmitters And Neuroeffector Mechanisms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,750.00
Summary
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major public health problem in Western society with approximately 20% of adults affected. If left untreated, serious damage to organs can occur and the risk of sudden cardiac death or stroke is greatly increased. While many factors contribute to the development of hypertension such as lifestyle, genes, diet, weight and exercise levels, a common feature in the early stages is an overactive nervous system in the kidney and in the heart which is most likely d ....High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major public health problem in Western society with approximately 20% of adults affected. If left untreated, serious damage to organs can occur and the risk of sudden cardiac death or stroke is greatly increased. While many factors contribute to the development of hypertension such as lifestyle, genes, diet, weight and exercise levels, a common feature in the early stages is an overactive nervous system in the kidney and in the heart which is most likely due to altered signals from the brain. We need to understand why this occurs. One possibility is that renin (a chemical released from the kidney) that is known to control body fluid, also acts in the brain to increase nerve activity to the kidney and heart and in this way contributes to high blood pressure. It does this indirectly by producing another hormone called angiotensin. Our research has shown that in conditions where the kidney releases excess of the hormone renin, which may occur if the blood supply to the kidney is reduced, a change occurs in the way in which the nervous system affects blood pressure. The nervous system is activated to increase the release of renin from the kidney. The effect of this is to make blood pressure increase further in what can become a vicious circle. At present it is not understood why and how this change occurrs. The major thrust of this project is to determine the mechanims by which the renal hormones signal the central nervous system to change the nature of the nervous activity back to the kidney. We want to know what parts of the brain are involved, how the nature of the activity in the nerves changes and also how the nervous control of the kidney changes (i.e. how the kidney changes its responsivness to the nerve activity). Because similar processes probably occur in nearly all forms of high blood pressure, our results will greatly improve our understanding of how this dangerous condition develops.Read moreRead less
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the commonest chronic condition in western societies, and can lead to strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure. In a disease known as primary aldosteronism (PAL), hypertension results from the excessive production of the salt-retaining hormone, aldosterone, by the the body's adrenal glands. In some patients, this is due to the growth of an aldosterone-producing adrenal tumour. Recent work performed within the Hypertension Unit at Greenslopes Hospital and co ....Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the commonest chronic condition in western societies, and can lead to strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure. In a disease known as primary aldosteronism (PAL), hypertension results from the excessive production of the salt-retaining hormone, aldosterone, by the the body's adrenal glands. In some patients, this is due to the growth of an aldosterone-producing adrenal tumour. Recent work performed within the Hypertension Unit at Greenslopes Hospital and continued by these investigators within the Hypertension Unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital has shown that PAL is the commonest potentially curable form of hypertension, accounting for at least 5% and possibly 10% of patients. Several lines of evidence accumulated by these investigators, including the detection of a new familial variety of PAL (Familial Hyperaldosteronism Type II or FH-II), suggest that PAL is a genetic disorder. The study sets out to locate the genetic defect causing PAL by comparing genetic material collected from affected members of these families with that from non-affected members, and by comparing genes from patients with PAL with those of unrelated, unaffected individuals. Once the genetics of this condition is understood, affected persons can be detected early in life, and even at birth, and the ill-effects of their developing conditions prevented.Read moreRead less
Improved Gene Therapy Strategies For Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$370,517.00
Summary
Many people develop problems with the blood vessels in the lungs, which then leads to a narrowing of these vessels and consequently a back-pressure strain on the heart. These disorders can arise from inherited diseases of the blood vessels themselves, or from accquired lung disease (for example due to smoking or chronic infections). At present there are few treatments which have any benefits for these patients and many must undergo lung or heart-lung transplantation. This project is desigened bo ....Many people develop problems with the blood vessels in the lungs, which then leads to a narrowing of these vessels and consequently a back-pressure strain on the heart. These disorders can arise from inherited diseases of the blood vessels themselves, or from accquired lung disease (for example due to smoking or chronic infections). At present there are few treatments which have any benefits for these patients and many must undergo lung or heart-lung transplantation. This project is desigened both to find out new information about the disease process that affects the lung blood vessels and to offer a strategy for new treatments. The project will use a crippled form of the cold virus to deliver genes to the lining of the lung blood vessels, then see what impact that has on the pressure within the vessels and the ways in which they respond to certain stresses. These studies will be carried out using laboratory animals. If successful, it may be possible to eventually design such viruses to deliver genes which have a helpful therapeutic impact on the disease in patients.Read moreRead less
HYPE: Hypertension And Preeclampsia After Non-steroidal Use For Post-partum Pain Relief; A Prospective, Stratified, Randomised Placebo-controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$174,504.00
Summary
After caesarean delivery of a baby most women will require analgesia. Traditionally anti-inflammatory medications (eg.diclofenac) have been given. Evidence exists that this medicine may increase the mother�s blood pressure. This can result in a longer hospital stay, blood pressure medications and exposure to the risks of high blood pressure (eg.stroke and increased bleeding). This study examines the effect of diclofenac on the mother�s blood pressure, analgesia and investigates the mechanisms be ....After caesarean delivery of a baby most women will require analgesia. Traditionally anti-inflammatory medications (eg.diclofenac) have been given. Evidence exists that this medicine may increase the mother�s blood pressure. This can result in a longer hospital stay, blood pressure medications and exposure to the risks of high blood pressure (eg.stroke and increased bleeding). This study examines the effect of diclofenac on the mother�s blood pressure, analgesia and investigates the mechanisms behind the increased blood pressure.Read moreRead less