Sydney researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital say they have developed a screening process that could detect coronary plaque before symptoms appear. The process uses blood samples and CT scans from more than 5,000 heart disease patients, and identifies five biomarkers. The team is seeking $8 million to speed up clinical trials and put screening kits into the hands of GPs across the country. Indigenous adults experience heart attacks at almost three times the rate of non-Indigenous adults, and people in regional and remote areas stand to benefit most.
Researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital and the University of Sydney are developing a world-first screening method to detect coronary artery disease before symptoms appear. The approach combines blood tests for biomarkers with CT imaging. More than 5000 people have taken part so far. Sydney mother Jennifer Tucker found she had a severe blockage in a coronary artery after collapsing while pushing a pram. Researchers want to expand the program into rural and remote areas, where heart attack rates are higher and preventative care is harder to access.
A Sydney man, Paul Gunning, 62, has reunited with the emergency responders who saved him after he suffered a cardiac arrest on his way to watch a friendly match between Chelsea and Tottenham on August 1. He had felt healthy beforehand and had no warning signs. Senior Constable Ryan Page began CPR shortly after the call came in, and first-aider Captain Roneel Chandra used a defibrillator, delivering a second shock before Gunning began to respond. Paramedics from NSW Ambulance found him conscious and breathing, and he was taken to Concord Hospital, where he made a remarkable recovery.
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Researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital are working on new ways to treat osteoarthritis and detect heart disease earlier. Professor David Hunter's team has received a $3 million grant for a five-year program on prevention and personalised treatment, and is recruiting for trials. Dr Hunter says fewer than one-third of people follow core guidelines of getting active, getting strong and managing weight. Separately, Professor Gemma Figtree leads a three-year program, funded with $750,000 from the NSW Government, aiming to detect coronary artery disease early through a possible simple blood test.
