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The Alberta Heart Failure Etiology and Analysis Research Team (HEART) study
Justin A Ezekowitz1, Harald Becher, Israel Belenkie
1Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, 2C2 WMC, 8440-112 Street, Edmonton, AB, Canada. jae2@ualberta.ca.
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
|July 27, 2014
Summary
The Alberta HEART program aims to develop new diagnostic criteria for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This research seeks to improve understanding and treatment strategies for this condition, impacting many Canadians.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Translational Medicine
- Medical Research
Background:
- Symptomatic heart failure affects 1.5-2% of Canadians, costing $3 billion annually.
- Global heart failure burden is projected to double in 1-2 decades.
- One-year mortality post-diagnosis remains high at over 25%.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop novel diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic approaches for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
- Establish new diagnostic criteria to better define risk factors and elucidate mechanisms of HFpEF.
- Design and test new therapeutic strategies for HFpEF patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational cohort study of patients with or at risk for heart failure.
- Sequential testing including quality of life and clinical outcomes over 12 months.
- Five-year follow-up via linkage to external administrative databases for clinical outcomes (death, hospitalization, ED visits, etc.).
Main Results:
- Hypothesizes novel imaging and biomarkers will aid in describing HFpEF.
- Aims to define risk factors and elucidate clinical, cellular, and molecular mechanisms of HFpEF.
- Focuses on developing new diagnostic criteria for targeted therapies.
Conclusions:
- The Alberta HEART program's primary objective is to define new diagnostic criteria for HFpEF.
- New criteria will enable targeted therapies and diagnostic tests.
- Enhances understanding of patients at risk for and with heart failure.
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