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Research projects 2001 - Vascular disease

Clinical studies of vascular disease

At Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Professor Jill Belch et al have been awarded a Lord Dowding Fund equipment grant to help purchase a state-of-the-art ultrasound echo-tracking system for use in vascular research.

Vascular diseases (diseases of the blood vessels) such as coronary artery disease, cerebral vascular disease, pulmonary thromboembolism and high blood pressure, are the leading cause of death and ill-health in the Western world. Traditionally vascular medicine has focused on the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disorders. However new approaches are realising the importance of preventative medicine, diagnosing disease at an early stage and the need to understand the fundamental mechanisms mediating these disorders. To be able to detect atherosclerosis (’hardening of the arteries’) early in its process to allow intervention is a key factor in improved treatment of vascular diseases.

Using the equipment purchased with the assistance of the Lord Dowding Fund, Professor Belch’s team has established a non-invasive technique to measure aortic compliance. The aorta is the body’s major artery, and aortic compliance is a measure of the ability of the artery wall to respond to a change in blood pressure. Aortic compliance offers a method to diagnose the early development of atherosclerosis and to monitor patients’ progress in order to understand the disease mechanisms. This combined with the possibility of assessing potential vascular drug therapies without the use of animals should greatly improve the prognosis and treatment available for vascular disease patients.

Initially the equipment will be used in five projects, which will provide a more comprehensive understanding of vascular function. The projects range from a study of vascular function in young people with diabetes to an evaluation of the effects of saturated fatty acids on vascular function. There is evidence that cardiovascular disease and diabetes are related to unhealthy lifestyles, but there is also an element of genetic predisposition to them. Many animals are used in this field, despite the problems of species differences. Relevant, non-invasive clinical research on humans is the way forward.

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