Research led by, or involving researchers from Leicester has contributed to fundamental discoveries, changed scientific thinking and impacted on clinical practice and patient care.

Notable achievements include:

• Discovery of several new genes not previously known to be involved in the development of coronary heart disease, announced in March 2011 - opening up new opportunities for the prediction, prevention and treatment of common cardiovascular diseases.
• Understanding the relationship between biological ageing (as opposed to chronological ageing) and the development of cardiovascular diseases.

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  The groundbreaking new CASPro blood pressure measurement device developed by Professor Bryan Williams, leading member of the Cardiovascular team at Glenfield.

  A major scientific breakthrough, announced in February 2011 - a new blood pressure measurement device set to revolutionise the way patients’ blood pressure is measured
• Identification of novel blood tests that are associated with prognosis after heart attacks providing a means of identifying patients who require more attention.
• Important large national and international clinical trials that have influenced the management and treatment of acute heart attacks, arrhythmias, carotid artery disease, blood pressure management in stroke, diabetes and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
• Key role in the development of widely-applied clinical guidelines in cardiovascular medicine.
• UK firsts for (i) implantation of new devices including keyhole replacement of a heart valve (ii) a biodegradable coronary stent and (iii) robotic ablation of cardiac arrhythmia. Each of these are now leading to new clinical trials.

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