Our Cardiovascular Research

Our Cardiovascular Research

microscope-smear Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack, stroke, and congestive heart failure, are responsible for a major proportion of the health burden experienced by individuals and societies around the world. Not only is cardiovascular disease important because of the large numbers of people who die prematurely as a consequence, but it is also one of the leading causes of inequalities in health within and between populations.

The Cardiovascular Programme has undertaken 20 years of research into the causes, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The Programme’s primary focus is on the leading determinants of cardiovascular disease, in particular blood pressure and cholesterol, and identifying and developing practicable, affordable interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Our research is international in scope, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as in New Zealand. It draws on the collective expertise of a leading group of clinical and population health researchers, and has considerable potential to improve health at a population level. The team includes public health specialists and epidemiologists, project managers, a data manager and biostatistician.

PILL Pilot: Programme to Improve Life and Longevity

Randomised, placebo-controlled trial (n=400) of the polypill in individuals at raised risk of cardiovascular disease

IMPACT

IMPACT: A clinical trial evaluating if polypill-based care improves adherence, blood pressure & cholesterol in people at high cardiovascular risk

Cardiovascular Research already completed by CTRU

ALUS: Auckland Leg Ulcer Study

A cross-sectional study and case-control study on leg ulcers in the Auckland region of New Zealand

PREPARE pilot: Progressive Resistant Exercise Programme to Aid ulcer hEaling

Pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of a randomised trial testing the effect of leg exercises on venous ulcer healing

CORTRA: Collaborative Overview of Randomised Trials of Regional Anaesthesia

A systematic review investigating the effects of regional anaesthesia on fatal and serious non-fatal post-operative complications

Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Hypertensives

A general practice based comparative study of patients with hypertension and age- and sex-matched controls

Fletcher Challenge - University of Auckland Heart and Health Study

A cohort study of the determinants of chronic disease and acute injury among employees of Fletcher Challenge and a random sample of the Auckland electoral rolls

BPLTTC: Blood Pressure Lowering Treatment Trialists' Collaboration

A prospective overview of randomised trials of blood pressure lowering agents

FOILS: Fish Oils in Stroke

Identifying the role of fish oils on lipid profiles of stroke participants

HALT: Honey as Adjuvant Leg Ulcer Therapy Trial

A randomised controlled trial of honey for leg ulcer treatment

Global Burden of Disease (GBD)

An international collaborative study using a variety of different data sources and methodologies to estimate the burden of disease and injury attributable to different risk factors

Heterotopic Bone Formation: A substudy of the Pulmonary Embolism Prevention Trial

Substudy of the PEP trial to investigate the effects of low-dose aspirin on heterotopic bone and its relation to patient symptoms and outcomes

LIPID: Long-term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease

A randomised controlled trial to determine the effects of cholesterol lowering on death from coronary heart disease among patients with coronary disease and average lipid levels

LIPID Trial: Atherosclerosis Sub-study

A randomised controlled trial on the effects of cholesterol lowering on the progression of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries of 522 patients recruited in the LIPID Trial

MPV: Mean Platelet Volume as a predictor of stroke; a PROGRESS sub-study

A cohort study to determine whether, among patients with a history of a previous stroke, an increased mean platelet volume (MPV) is associated with an increased risk of a further stroke

New Zealand Blood Donors' Health Study

A cohort study of the determinants of acute injury and chronic disease among blood donors in the Auckland, Northland and Waikato regions of New Zealand

New Zealand Orthopaedic Surgeons Survey of Attitudes and Practices

A postal survey of chemoprophylaxis use by New Zealand orthopaedic surgeons

PACIFIC: Prevention with a Combined Inhibitor and folate in CHD - effects of blood pressure lowering

A factorial randomised controlled trial assessing the effects of blood pressure lowering with omapatrilat and homocysteine lowering with folic acid in patients with coronary heart disease

PART-1: Predictors of Atherosclerotic Risk and Thrombosis

A case control study of the causes of coronary heart disease and its sequelae

PART-2: Prevention of Atherosclerosis with Ramipril Treatment

A randomised controlled trial to determine whether ACE inhibitor treatment slows the rate of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries, as measured by B-mode ultrasound

ONTARGET and TRANSCEND Trials Programme

ONTARGET: Ongoing Telmisartan Alone and in Combination with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial

ONTARGET is a large, simple international, randomized, double blind trial comparing the effects of an angiotensin II receptor antagonist (telmisartan) and an ACE-inhibitor (ramipril) and their combination on outcomes in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events. 25,620 randomised study participants

TRANSCEND: Telmisartan Randomised Assessment Study in Ace Intolerant Subjects with Cardiovascular Disease(Parallel trial)

TRANSCEND is a parallel trial using similar methodology, comparing the effects of telmisartan with placebo on patients of ACE-1. 5926 randomised study participants