Detection, Reversal and Prevention

There is no simple method of diagnosing heart disease before symptoms appear or when a person has a heart attack. By this stage the disease is advanced and more difficult to treat. The HRI is working to develop a blood test which will give doctors the ability to detect early signs of heart disease.

Identifying atherosclerosis is only useful if we have methods to stop and reverse it.  Current treatments are of limited success.  Through our research we are working to understand how atherosclerosis develops, making the cure for the disease much more likely.

By understanding how the disease starts and develops we will be able to identify ways to prevent or avoid heart disease. The HRI currently has projects looking at the chemical process of oxidation and the protective effects of antioxidants, along with research into an inflammatory process similar to arthritis that has been identified as significant in the development of atherosclerosis.