Cardiac Studies
Cardiac Disease
In the 21st century heart disease (HD) remains a leading cause of mortality among the industrial world population. Coronary heart disease (CHD), the most common form of HD, is a condition occurring due to partial or complete blockage of one or more of the major cardiac arteries by fat plaques (atherosclerosis) or blood clots. These blockages cause immediate reduction or cessation of oxygen and nutrients supply to the heart muscle (ischemia).
Consequently, typical heart function, the pumping of blood through periodic contraction and relaxation, is impaired due to failure of energy provision via the otherwise normal processes of nutrients oxidation. Eventually, starvation of heart muscle leads to death of muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) and development of fibrous tissue (infarction) as a natural response to heal the injured heart.
Killer Disease
CHD is the single largest killer of American people. About every 26 seconds an American will suffer a coronary event, and about every minute someone will die from one attack. About 40% of the people who experience a coronary attack in a given year will die from it.
The statistics are alarming. Within 6 years after a recognized heart attack (infarction):
- 18% of men and 35% of women will have another heart attack
- 7% of men and 6% of women will experience sudden death
- 22% of men and 46% of women will be disabled with heart failure
- 8% of men and 11% of women will have a stroke
The American Heart Association also reported that, in 2006, the estimated direct and indirect cost of coronary heart disease is $142.5 billion USD.
Cardiac Studies
The NRC-IBD Cardiac Studies Group develops non-invasive spectroscopic and imaging techniques to localize and characterize abnormal areas of heart using animal models of different complexity, such as isolated ex vivo and in vivo mice, rat, and pig hearts.
These techniques include magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging (MRS/I), optical spectroscopy/imaging in the near-infrared (NIR) and visible range, as well as thermal imaging.
Combinations of these methods allows detection of regions with reduced coronary flow (ischemia) and non-viable cardiac cells (infarction) as well as evaluation effects of treatment directed towards repair of contracting cardiac tissue and circulation (e.g., stem cells therapy).
The ultimate goal of the Cardiac Studies Group is to gain knowledge of cardiac disease processes and develop new imaging modalities suitable for clinical application.
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