Ischaemic preconditioning and remote conditioning of cardiac muscle
Our laboratory is interested in ischaemia/reperfusion injury in the heart and how the cardioprotective technique of remote ischaemic conditioning works to both protect the heart against I/R injury but also prevent adverse remodelling of the myocardium following ischemic injury. We are also interested in translating this research into positive clinical outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease. We are also interested in the cellular mechanisms responsible for the circadian variations in the cardiovascular system and how this relates to disease conditions. In particular how these circadian rhythms might result in a time-of-day variation in the efficacy of current cardiovascular drugs. Members of staff interested in this research are: Dr Glenn Rodrigo , Dr Rich Rainbow and Dr Nina Storey (Molecular and Cell Biology).
Cardioprotection against Ischaemia/Reperfusion injury of the myocardium and its subsequent remodelling
Remote ischaemic conditioning and prevention of acute reperfusion injury
The application of a transient ischaemic event to an arm results in the production of a signal that travels to the heart in the blood, where the activation of receptors results in a biochemical change to the heart cells rendering them resistant to injury resulting from an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) "heart attack".
Remote ischaemic conditioning and chronic remodelling process
Modern methods for unblocking the blood vessels of the heart during a heart attack have increased the survivability of an AMI considerably. However, many patients still suffer considerable injury to the muscle of the heart and this can lead to hypertrophic heart disease, heart failure and arrhythmias.