22 Feb Southend Hospital’s Cardiac Research Team earn international award
Southend University Hospital’s Cardiac Research Team has been awarded certificates of achievement for their work on an international trial that could help people with heart disease.
The ISCHEMIA (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches) trial is an international study to look at whether there is a difference in treating stable angina (coronary artery disease) with medication alone or with early invasive treatments such as angioplasty, stents or bypass surgery.
The Trust has been one of the highest UK recruiting centres for this study. It was also recognised by the trial’s organisers for its exceptional quality of data collection and reporting.
Dr Thuraia Nageh, Consultant Cardiologist and Cardiac Research Lead, said: “Clinical research is really important in allowing us to deliver the best quality clinical care to patients, based on the evidence gathered from large randomised trials, such as the ISCHEMIA trial. It’s one of many clinical trials the Cardiology Department are involved with.
“With anyone having an acute cardiac event or heart attack the earlier they receive a coronary angiogram and invasive treatment to open up blocked heart arteries, the better the outcome. However, it is not clear if the same approach applies to patients who have stable symptoms of angina.”
Over the last few years, the Cardiology Department has developed a strong research base which has received national and international acclaim. This is thanks to the hard work and dedication of the research team as well as the clinical team working closely together within the Cardiology Department.
Dr Nageh added: “We are delighted to have been recognised for the quality of our work in the ISCHEMIA trial, which asks important and relevant questions on how we treat many of our patients and is likely to guide our future management of patients with stable coronary disease.
“It makes a huge difference to patients knowing whether tablets alone can treat their condition effectively and safely, rather than having to go through major invasive cardiac procedures
