High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia |
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HBPRCA Email
Newsletter
June 2009
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Welcome Note from
Geoff Head
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Our feature article this month comes from
Alta Schutte who is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of
the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) at the North-West University,
Potchefstroom in the north west province of South Africa which was the first
town and capitol of the formerly Transvaal republic. Alta is intending to
attend our Sydney ASM hopefully strengthening our common interests and links
beyond cricket. We hope that everyone will make her feel welcome. ISH2012 – As
you are all aware, the HBPRCA will be hosting ISH2012 in Sydney, 30 September
– 3 October. As members of the HBPRCA, we would like you to advertise the
Congress, by downloading the slides and including them at the end of your
presentations. Please click here to download. ISH2010 – will
be in Vancouver on the 26th-30th September. PowerPoint
slides for this meeting are available here. 2009 Annual Scientific Meeting News IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Clinical and Experimental
Pharmacology and Physiology (CEPP) Subscription Feature article: The Challenges of Hypertension
Research in South Africa, by Aletta Schutte Ambulatory Blood
Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) Working Group Initiative Petition: Support for
Humane Animal Research |
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President’s Message from Stephen Harrap |
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1.
Do you measure
blood pressure in every patient at least once a year? 2.
Do you measure
blood pressure in hypertensive patients every time you see them? 3.
Do you always
believe the blood pressure reading? 4.
Do you change
management on the basis of those readings? We shall have an opportunity for another round
of Blood Pressure messages in December.
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2009 Annual Scientific Meeting News from Kate Denton and Markus Schlaich
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IMPORTANT: Don’t forget
that the meeting is being held from Tuesday 1st to Thursday 3rd
December this year. Half way through the
year all ready! However, plans for the HBPRC meeting 2009 are well advanced.
The invited speakers are organised and include RD
Wright Lecturer, Prof Frans Leenan – Central mechanisms in
determining sympathetic hyperactivity in salt-sensitive hypertension and
congestive heart failure. Austin Doyle, Prof Michael Cowley –
How and why the brain becomes resistant to signals that are meant to convey that
the body has sufficient stores of energy, and should start to burn more, and
eat less. Colin Johnston, Dr Alex Brown – Indigenous
cardiovascular disease disparity and its determinants. The meeting is
being held at Crystal Palace near Luna Park in Sydney and I am
looking forward to taking a ferry trip and the Sky Safari cable car ride to
the Conference Dinner, which will be held at Sydney’s famous Taronga Zoo
on Wednesday 2nd December. Registration
and abstract submissions are now officially open on-line and via paper form. For information on
the meeting, please visit the website. |
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Please put this in your diaries now! 1 – 3 December 2009
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Workshop News from Geoff Head
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ASM Workshop Tuesday 1st December 2009:
“Environmentally Influenced Cardiovascular Disease: From the Fetus to the
Adult” Obesity and its
associated conditions, both metabolic and cardiovascular, are a major threat
to human health. The increased incidence of obesity is observed worldwide,
but is highest in westernised countries including Australia. The
cardiovascular consequence of this trend is disturbing but quite predictable
since there is a very strong relationship between body mass index and levels
of blood pressure. Management and treatment of obesity related hypertension
poses a formidable challenge with recent data suggesting that up to 70% of
newly diagnosed hypertensive cases in the Framingham study are attributable
to obesity. This phenomenon is affecting not only adults but there is
increasing recognition that there is a relationship between hypertension and
obesity that affects children. We are now realising that even the fetus is
very much affected by its in utero environment such that factors influencing
fetal development can program the offspring to develop obesity, hypertension
and related cardiovascular disease. This increased incidence of
overweight status in young children is alarming and suggests that this
problem will only escalate in the future. This workshop held over a single day will attempt to bring
together various streams of research by scientists and clinicians
involved in the environmental influences leading to cardiovascular disease.
The plan is for sessions involving fetal programming, children's issues
through to the adult with attention to special areas of concern such as
indigenous Australians.
The program is taking shape very quickly with 23 confirmed
speakers for the day including our invited international guest Kevin Grove
from Oregon National Primate Research Center in Portland. Kevin's long-term
interests lie in determining the role that maternal and early postnatal
health and diet has on the development of metabolic systems and on the
circuits in the brain that control these systems.
The format for the
day will be 3 sessions finishing with a debate Session 1 Early Life Programming of
Cardiovascular disease Session 2 Early Life Programming of Obesity Session 3 Adult obesity and cardiovascular
disease Debate topic Lap band Surgery is better than diet
and exercise for controlling the obesity epidemic Workshop Committee:
Geoff Head, Kate Denton, Markus Schlaich, Louise Burrell, James Armitage,
Mary Wlodek, Bruce Neal and Annemarie Hennessy |
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Student News from Erin O’Callaghan
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We would like to remind HBPRCA members to ensure students apply for (free) membership to the HBPRCA by the 30th of September. Among many other benefits, students who are members by this date will be eligible for travel grants to this year’s ASM in Sydney. Application forms are available on the HBPRCA website. We have received
valuable responses from current student members detailing their appreciation
of the 2008 ASM, with particular praise for the inaugurated Student’s Choice
Best Poster Award category. The theme
for the 2009 ASM student symposium will be focused on life after thesis
submission and we are currently sourcing speakers to share their experiences
on this topic. |
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Membership News from Doug
McKitrick
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Thank you to those of
you that have taken the time to renew your membership. Membership information
for 2009 will be finalised shortly and the HBPRCA has continued to grow. It
is a great time to be part of a vibrant, changing and growing scientific
society. The helpful reminders for those
of you who haven’t renewed your subscription will soon cease. Your ability to
renew will not cease and may still be done by mail, fax or internet. If you
have internet access go to the HBPRCA website and follow the link for access to the secure payment
site, or to download a form for return by fax or post. If you don’t have
internet access, can’t remember if you have paid, or just need a bit of help,
please contact the Secretariat (details below). Remember to encourage the
participation of your graduate students, and provide them with the
career-building opportunity to take advantage of free HBPRCA membership. |
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Society Liaison News from Bruce
Neal
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British Hypertension Society The British Hypertension
Society has now finalized the agenda for its September meeting. We will be well represented with a strong
Australian contingent - Amanda Sampson (while an honorary Glaswegian at the
moment!) will be giving an oral presentation, Anne Barden will be presenting
a poster and Stephen Harrap will be starring as an Invited Speaker. While the BHS meeting is usually
restricted to its association members of the HBPRCA are now invited to
participate as guests of the president.
You will have to cover your own travel but the subsidized registration
fee will secure two nights of accommodation and two days of high quality
science, entertainment, meals and drinks.
Please let us know if you plan to attend the meeting, which promises
to be a great event. Please login to the HBPRCA to view the program. Franco – Australian Exchange The second award of
the Franco-Australian Exchange travel grant was made this month to Erin
O’Callaghan from the University of Melbourne. Erin will be spending 3 months working with Genevieve Nguyen at
the College de France Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology at
INSERM. Her work will seek to
determine the distribution of the (pro) renin receptor in the cardiovascular
centres of the rat brain. Dr Nguyen
has unique expertise in the detection and characterization of the (pro) renin
receptor having conducted the seminal work in this field. We wish Erin all the best for her travels. We await word from the French Society about their successful candidate and who they will be visiting in Australia. Once we do hear we will let you know. We are keen that visiting researchers have the maximum possible exposure to Australian science please do get in touch if you would like to meet up with them during the time that they are in Australia. American Heart Association Council for High Blood Pressure Research Following the success of the French and British exchange schemes
we are delighted that we have now crystallized a similar plan for interaction
with our US colleagues. Michael De
Silva is the inaugural awardee of the Australian-American exchange program
and will be presenting at the forth-coming 63rd meeting of the High Blood
Pressure Research Council of the American Heart Association that will be held
in Chicago in September of this year.
Michael will also be presenting seminars at two laboratory visits he
will make during his trip and we look forward to hearing from him once he is
back. To visit the website, please click here. |
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Clinical and Experimental
Pharmacology and Physiology (CEPP) Subscription
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Servier has been a long-standing
supporter of the Council providing support over many years for a number of
our activities. While Servier will continue to support Council activities
including their Corporate Membership, the publication of ASM abstracts in Hypertension
and the Franco-Australian Exchange programs, it was with regret that they
have informed us that they have decided that they can no longer support the
subscription to Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology
for individual members of the Council. Although it is
disappointing that such circumstances have forced these financial decisions,
the Council very much appreciates the long-term support by Servier for
subscription to Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology.
The Council will endeavour to continue its
long-term scientific collaboration with CEPP and encourages all council
members to consider either their own subscription or accessing the journal
through institutional or other arrangements. |
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Feature Article: The Challenges of Hypertension Research in South Africa from Aletta Schutte |
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Aletta Schutte,
Research Scientists, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), School for
Physiology, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom,
South Africa
In South Africa,
hypertension is a widespread problem of immense economic importance because
of its high prevalence in urban areas, its frequent underdiagnosis, and the
severity of its complications.1 As a result, black South Africans have a stroke mortality rate
twice as high as that of Caucasians. Therefore at the core of our research
group, the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) is our main vision highlighting
the alleviation of the immense burden of cardiovascular disease in South
African communities. Multiple causative
factors have been proposed to explain the high hypertension prevalence,
including lower plasma renin levels, 2 sodium abnormalities,3 epithelial sodium channel changes,2 altered genes regulating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system,
2 increased peripheral vascular resistance1 as well as increasing obesity prevalence.4 Various approaches are possible to tackle the immense
problem of hypertension – e.g. on genetic or molecular level; clinically as We work inter and trans-disciplinary with other research
entities at the North-West University, and are also grateful towards our
international collaborators (including Prof. RH Boëger, Prof. PEH Schwarz,
Prof. T Ziemssen, Dr. M Reimann, Germany; Prof. H Urbanisation and obesity Besides the high hypertension prevalence in South
African urban areas, rapid urbanisation has also led to high rates of
obesity, especially amongst urban black African women.5, 6 The South African
Demographic and Health Survey showed in 1998 that 56.6% of South African
women were overweight or obese.5 Unfortunately,
obesity is becoming even more revered amongst African women because it
signals HIV negativity and wealth.7 Due to the known
detrimental cardiovascular effects of obesity, we have performed the
multidisciplinary POWIRS study (Profiles of Obese Women and the Insulin
Resistance Syndrome). A total of 100 lean, overweight and obese urban African
women were individually matched according to age and body mass index with
Caucasian women8. We hypothesised that
obesity is the driving force for the high levels of hypertension observed in
urbanised black South Africans. However, our results have shown that although
urban African women have significantly higher blood pressure than age and
body-mass index-matched Caucasians, their obesity levels are weakly related
to traditional cardiovascular risk factors compared to Caucasian women. Our
results, however, suggest a link of obesity with the development of insulin
resistance and the metabolic syndrome.9-11 Our group was also
the first to study the different links between adipokines (leptin12, 13, adiponectin14, visfatin15 and One of the main drawbacks of this and other studies conducted by our group in the past is the cross-sectional nature, which meant we were unable to determine cause-effect relationships. In order to address this problem our group started to collaborate with Professor Salim Yusuf (Canada) who also led the InterHEART study. We collaborate with him in the international PURE study (Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology), which involves more than 20 developing countries. In 2005 a total of 2000 African participants were included in this study, and a first follow-up was conducted in 2008. We plan to continue this longitudinal study for a total of 12 years to investigate the main contributors to the development of hypertension and cardiovascular mortalities in the African population. Apart from addressing the main research questions as posed by the main PURE coordinating team, we also included our focused research questions, and performed additional measurements in this population, such as arterial stiffness measurements (pulse wave velocity). The number one
“threat” in South Africa Despite the
well-known effects of hypertension on morbidity and mortality of black South
Africans, it is not the main threat. Almost a Several
cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with, or observed in the
HIV-infected population probably explained by the longer life expectancy due
to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). There is however, still
uncertainty about the relative contribution of the infection, the virus
itself, the associated inflammatory response, the antiretroviral therapy, and
the interaction between them to these cardiovascular risk factors. Hsue et
al.23 reasons that HIV infection itself should count as a coronary
risk factor, within the list of traditional cardiovascular risk factors
(smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes). We are therefore
now investigating the follow-up data within the PURE study, where a total of
15% of participants were HIV positive, to determine which parameters seem to
be the main contributors to the vascular dysfunction observed in HIV positive
individuals. What make our study unique are that since the start of the study
four years ago, only half of the HIV positive subjects are using HAART
therapy, and we are therefore able to study the effects of the HIV infection
itself, as well as the therapy with regards to vascular deterioration when
compared to a matched control group. The importance of
psychosocial factors During 2008 and 2009 HART engaged in a new study, which included 400 African and Caucasian schoolteachers. The SABPA study (Sympathetic activity and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Africans), which also received an award from the Metabolic Syndrome Institute in France, is the first study on Africans to evaluate the relationship between higher sympathetic activity, hypertension and poorer psychosocial wellbeing. In order to examine the hypothesized relationships, a multidisciplinary team of experts from the health, natural and social sciences are involved, consisting of researchers from Physiology, Nursing, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Biokinetics, Biochemistry, Psychology and Education as well as international expert teams from Canada and Britain (psychophysiologists), Luxemburg (epidemiologist), Netherlands and Sweden (sonographists), as well as Germany (autonomic dysfunction). We have found in our previous epidemiological work that an active or passive coping pattern as well as rural or urban status could have a significant influence on blood pressure.24, 25 An important part of this study is thus to involve psychophysiological stress testing, involving measurement of physiological responses to laboratory-induced stress as well as an array of other cardiovascular measures (ambulatory blood pressure, IMT, pulse wave velocity, biochemical markers, etc) to shed more light on the important relationship between psychophysiological stress and hypertension.
To conclude ... It is extremely challenging to study hypertension in South African population groups where a vast range of causal factors for this condition needs to be taken into account. I am nevertheless pleased and honoured to be one of a handful of South African researchers tackling this problem hands-on – hoping to provide better conditions for many (who are in most instances not even aware of their hypertensive condition yet). Our research group, HART, invite interested Australian researchers to collaborate with us with regards to our existing data or future projects. As shown above, we have various interests and hope to take hands in order to lighten the heavy weight of cardiovascular disease. References (1) Opie LH, Seedat YK. Circulation 2005 December 6;112(23):3562-8. (2) Hoosen S, Seedat YK, Bhigjee AI, Neerahoo RM. J Hypertens 1985 August;3(4):351-8. (3) Worthington MG, Wendt MC, Opie LH. J Hum Hypertens 1993 June;7(3):291-7. (4) Joubert J, Norman R, Bradshaw D, et al. S Afr Med J 2007 August;97(8 Pt 2):683-90. (5) Puoane T, Steyn K, Bradshaw D, et al. Obes Res 2002 October;10(10):1038-48. (6) Walker AR, Adam F, Walker BF. Public Health 2001 November;115(6):368-72. (7) Bateman C. S Afr Med J 2007 July;97(7):490. (8) Schutte AE, Kruger HS, Wissing MP, et al. S Afr J Sci 2005;101:61-7. (9) Schutte AE, Huisman HW, van Rooyen JM, et al. J Hum Hypertens 2008; 22:528-536. (10) Schutte AE, Olckers A. Horm Metab Res 2007 September;39(9):651-657. (11) Schutte AE, Schutte R, Huisman HW, et al. Horm Metab Res 2009 February;41(2):79-85. (12) Schutte R, Huisman HW, Schutte AE, et al. J Hum Hypertens 2005 July;19(7):535-41. (13) Schutte R, Huisman HW, Schutte AE, et al. J Hum Hypertens 2005 December;19(12):933-9. (14) Schutte AE, Huisman HW, Schutte R, et al. Eur J Endocrinol 2007 August;157(2):181-8. (15) Reimann M, Ziemssen T, Huisman HW, et al. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2009 May 14. (16) Schutte R, Schutte AE, van Rooyen JM, et al. Am J Hypertens 2008 December;21(12):1298-303. (17) Greyling A, Pieters M, Hoekstra T, et al. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2006 August 7. (18) Schutte AE, van Vuuren D, van Rooyen JM, et al. J Hum Hypertens 2006 November;20(11):850-9. (19) Reimann M, Schutte AE, Malan NT, et al. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2007 October;115(9):600-5. (20) Reimann M, Schutte AE, Schwarz PE. Horm Metab Res 2007 December;39(12):853-7. (21) Reimann M, Schutte AE, Huisman HW, et al. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2007 July;77(1):62-9. (22) UNAIDS. Sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS epidemic update. Regional Summary. 2008. (23) Hsue PY, Giri K, Erickson S, et al. Circulation 2004 January 27;109(3):316-9. (24) Malan L, Schutte AE, Malan NT, et al. Biol Psychol 2006 June;72(3):305-10. (25) Malan L, Schutte AE, Malan NT, et al. Int J Psychophysiol 2006 August;61(2):158-66. |
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Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) Working Group Initiative
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Members: Geoff Head,
Susie Mihailidou, Karen Duggan, Alexandra Bune, James Sharman, Arduino
Mangoni, Peter Howe, Narelle Berry, Diane Cowley, Michael Stowasser, Lawrie
Beilin, Jonathan Hodgson, John Chalmers, Carla Morey, Mark Nelson, and
Mark Brown The aim of this
working group was to develop a clinical research collaborative to provide
sufficient data to derive a robust algorithm, which can link ambulatory blood
pressure monitoring (ABPM) (24hr average or awake average) readings to clinic
blood pressure (BP). So far we are pleased to have received contributions
from 10 research centres from 6 states totally over 6000 subjects with
clinica and ambulatory values. The
results from the study have been presented at the European Society of
Hypertension meeting in Milan recently and are currently being prepared for
publication. The main findings were that at each clinic DBP and SBP target,
predicted levels of day ABPM were quite similar (within 1 mmHg). This
contrasts with the PAMELA study, which showed much lower ABPM values compared
to clinic readings, which were measured by doctors. Recently, we have
included 1632 Doctor measured clinic BP from 3 centres, which gave values
much higher than the main data set. The predicted ABPM values closely matched
the PAMELA study findings.
The progress has been
greatly assisted by the funding from the Council for 2 months of a project
officer to complete the analysis. |
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American Petition: Support for
Humane Animal Research
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Gary Sieck, President of the American Physiological Society
recently asked members of the American Physiological Society to add their voice to those of other scientists showing their
support for humane animal
research. Research advocates at Americans for Medical Progress, UCLA Pro-Test and Speaking of
Research have set up an online petition supporting humane animal research. Please consider adding your
name, as we have, by going to http://www.raisingvoices.net/. The Pro-Test Petition was inspired by a 2006 petition in the U.K.
that gathered the signatures of over 20,000 people, including then Prime Minister
Tony Blair. That petition helped to turn the tide
of public opinion in the U.K in favour of animal research. As a result, in 2008, supporters
of research were able to celebrate the completion of a laboratory in Oxford
whose construction had been halted for more than a year due to harassment and
intimidation by animal rights extremists. Gary said “With violence against researchers escalating in the
U.S., now is the time for members of the research community to publicly
reaffirm the need for humane animal research. The APS has long been proud of
the role it has played in promoting humane animal research and will continue
to support such research in the future. “ He also encouraged
others to sign and while this call was for Americans to do so, it is
important that members of the Council are aware of such issues
internationally. You may decide to support our American colleagues in this
issue or possibly to consider doing the same here in Australia. Food for
thought. |
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Foundation for High Blood
Pressure Research
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2010 – 2011 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship The Foundation is
offering a two-year postdoctoral fellowship for a research project in
hypertension or related fields in basic, clinical or public health areas at
an Australian institution. Applications from biomedical, clinical and public
health researchers are invited. Applications are open
to Australian citizens or permanent residents. It is expected that
the successful applicant will have had not less than five and not more than
ten years' postdoctoral experience. The fellowship provides a salary and
modest project maintenance costs. 2010 ISH Visiting Postdoctoral Award The ISH Visiting Postdoctoral Award has been designed to encourage experienced researchers from countries other than Australia to work in Australia for up to two years on a specific research project in hypertension or a related field in basic, clinical or public health areas. The ISH Visiting Postdoctoral Award will be awarded to an
Australian research institution, as a contribution towards the salary of a
postdoctoral researcher who is not an Australian citizen or permanent
resident. Application Procedures For information on how to apply please contact: FHBPR Secretariat Department of Physiology University of Melbourne Parkville 3010 Victoria. Australia Email: jkelly@unimelb.edu.au Applications close on
Friday 28 August 2009 |
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Upcoming Meetings
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The Science of Salt: Industry innovation and best practice in reducing salt in foods ILSI SEAR Australasia and the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology are pleased to invite you to a symposium on The Science of Salt: Industry innovation and best practice in reducing salt in foods. Date Thursday,
2 July 2009 Venue The
George Institute for International Health, Level
7, 341 George St, Sydney (Westpac Building) (Entry
via Regimental Square) Cost $150.00
incl. GST Click here for further information. |
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Salt in the
diet: Why health professionals need a shake up This
symposium, called Salt in the diet: why health professionals need a shake up
is being held by the Academy of Science and sponsored by the Nutrition
Society of Australia NSW Branch. It aims to raise consumer and health
professionals' awareness of the health consequences of our excessive salt
intake and disseminate strategies that can be implemented at a federal, state
and community level to reduce dietary salt intake. Speakers
on the day include:
Event details: When:
9am to 5pm, 13 August 2009 Where:
Level 7, 341 George St, Sydney Cost:
$120 ($110 for Nutrition Society of Australia members) RSVP: peopleD pty ltd on 0417 358 894 or register@peopled.com.au |
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The RAAS Club: An Expanding System (AngII workshop)
Date: 9am – 5.30pm, Friday 8 October 2009 Venue: Monash University, Theatre M2 Organising Committee: Kate Denton (chair), Robert Widdop, Roger Evans, Geoff Head and Louise Burrell No registration fee, only an optional dinner fee. Dinner: Friday night, Cinque Lire, Monash Preliminary program:
Format: invited speakers and oral snapshots from early career scientists
and students Invited speakers: Professor Tony Turner
Proteolysis Research
Group, University of Leeds U.K. Functional/structural studies of cell-surface
peptidases involved in the metabolism of bioactive peptides –Aminopeptidases,
ACE and its homologue ACE2 and the neprilysin family. Professor Wally
Thomas Biochemistry &
Molecular Biology Group, University of Queensland. Molecular regulation of
angiotensin receptors Expressions of
interest to present are invited: Please contact A/Prof Kate Denton kate.denton@med.monash.edu.au
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ASMR 48th National Scientific ConferenceI am pleased to invite
your attendance at the 48th Annual National Scientific Conference of The
Australian Society for Medical Research. The theme of the meeting is
"Neurogenetics on the Apple Isle" and the venue is The Grand
Chancellor Hotel, Hobart, November 15-17 2009.
Come along and enjoy
outstanding science on the enchanting Apple isle. I look forward
to seeing you there.
Conference Convenor |
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The 23rd Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hypertension
The International Society of Hypertension (ISH) invites you to participate in the 23rd Scientific Meeting (ISH 2010) to be held September 26 - 30, 2010 in beautiful Vancouver, Canada. The theme of the 2010 Meeting is Global Cardiovascular Risk Reduction. Future perspectives, new research, treatment and prevention will be showcased through the Scientific Program covering four days of invited plenary talks and oral and poster presentations. Keynote speakers will include pioneers and leading investigators in the fields of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic health. The Meeting will also include Industry and Investigator-initiated Symposia held before and after the Scientific Program at various locations in Vancouver and throughout the province of British Columbia. ISH 2010 will begin accepting abstracts in June 2009. Early decisions on acceptance of abstracts will give participants a longer lead time for visa applications. There is a world to discover when you visit Vancouver – Spectacular by Nature, and Beautiful British Columbia. A variety of social events that showcase the diversity and richness of Canadian culture will be planned along with optional local and regional tours that will be available both pre and post ISH 2010. Visit www.vancouverhypertension2010.com
for further information. |
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HBPRCA would like to acknowledge the support of
the following companies: Corporate members
Corporate Sponsors
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Meetings in 2009 |
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Meetings in 2010 |
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HBPRCA Secretariat
Athina Patti at Meetings First 4/184 Main Street LILYDALE VIC 3140 Phone +61 3 9739 7697 Fax +61 3 9739 7076 Email hbprca@meetingsfirst.com.au |
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The hypertension “situation”
well as epidemiologically. There are
already established research groups in South Africa focusing on genetic
origins of cardiovascular disease in Africans and the Medical Research
Council actively provides information regarding population statistics of
cardiovascular disease and stroke. But little clinical research is being done
regarding the functional and structural vascular changes taking place with
the development of hypertension. Our group realised that we will be able to
significantly contribute to this field by specifically studying the
influences of certain key areas such as known and novel biochemical factors,
obesity, urbanisation, HIV infection, and psychological stress on vascular
function. By combining biochemical markers with measurements such as pulse
wave velocity, intima-media thickness, carotid distensibility, the
augmentation index, ambulatory and continuous blood pressure and ECG
measurements, as well as static and dynamic retinal vessel analysis, we hope
to contribute significantly to the understanding, but also the prevention of
atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in black South Africans.
Marcoyannopoulou-Fojas, Greece; Prof. S
Yusuf, Prof. N Frasure-Smith, Canada, Dr. M Hamer, United Kingdom; Prof. F
Lespérance, France, Dr. A Alkerwi, Luxembourg). We also engage in research
discussions with world experts in the field of hypertension and vascular
dysfunction, such as Prof. Luc van Bortel (Ghent). And we have collaborated
with scientists from Australia with regards to research in Indigenous
Australian populations. Currently we are discussing possible collaboration
with Prof. Peter Howe at the University of South Australia. 
resistin9), vascular risk
markers (Von Willebrand factor16, plasminogen activator
inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)17, fibrinogen18, asymmetric dimethyl
arginine (ADMA)19), inflammatory
markers (hsCRP, hsTNF-alpha18) and insulin
resistance (HOMA20, C-peptide21) with cardiovascular
risk markers in African and Caucasian women. Interestingly we have found in
most instances that the levels or absolute values of these markers are
similar between the two ethnic groups, but we found ethnic disparities
regarding the functioning of these markers in relation to cardiovascular
function.
