cardiovascular disease

MSFHR is contributing matched funding for Dr. Scott Lear’s research, one of 22 projects as part of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) eHealth Innovation Partnership Program (eHIPP). eHIPP was designed to address gaps in health care—including supporting seniors with complex care needs in their home—by stimulating collaborations between health researchers and Canadian innovative technology companies. MSFHR is also contributing funds towards the eHIPP research projects of Drs. Ellen Balka and Kendall Ho.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Approximately 80% of all aneurysms that form within the aorta (the major blood vessel that deliveries oxygenated blood to the body) occur in the abdominal region. These are classified as abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). AAA is associated with progressive weakening and, ultimately, rupture of the vessel wall, causing rapid and extreme blood loss and a high rate of mortality. Sadly, aneurysm rupture is often the first sign of the disease and many die before reaching a hospital.

Heart failure (HF) is a progressive condition wherein the heart is unable to fill its chambers and/or pump sufficient blood into the arteries. While there are many causes of HF, it usually presents in two major forms: HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF; ‘stiff’ heart), and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; ‘baggy’ or ‘weak’ heart). 

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are extra heart beats arising from the ventricular, or pumping chambers of the heart. Recently, very frequent PVCs have been shown to cause impairment in heart function. Frequent PVCs are rare in the general population but more common in patients with heart failure and may in fact be worsening heart function in these patients or interfering with other therapies. However, the impact that frequent PVCs have on prognosis in the general heart failure population has not previously been established.

The prognosis for the 2.5 million North Americans living with spinal cord injury (SCI) is poor. These wheelchair bound individuals are subjected to a number of physical, social, and environmental barriers that compound paralysis and limit daily physical activity. The five-fold increase in risk for heart disease reduces life-expectancy and costs the North American healthcare system $3 billion per annum.

Prescriptions of second-generation antipsychotic  (SGA) medication for children in British Columbia increased 22-fold from 1996 to 2010. These medications treat the underlying mental health issues (e.g. psychosis, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) but often come with side-effects, including metabolic syndrome.

Although heart disease is a leading cause of death for men and women, sex/gender differences in the disease have only recently received attention. Evidence suggests there are sex/gender differences relating to prevalence, presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of heart disease, but little is known about the underlying causes. An emerging area of interest is the fact the magnitude of the sex/gender difference in outcomes following a heart attack (favoring men) is much greater among younger women and men than among older patients.

Dr. Kelly McNagny studies the CD34 family of molecules: CD34, Podocalyxin, and Endoglycan. First identified solely as markers of blood stem cells and blood vessels, McNagny’s research has shown that they are also present on a variety of other cell types in the body. In particular, they are found on cells that play an important role in inflammatory diseases like asthma, allergies, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, intestinal infections and cancer.