In March last year we asked for support of our Early Detection of Coronary Artery Disease (EDCAD) study. The aim of this study is to identify whether a polygenic risk score (PRS) can predict the presence of coronary calcium in the arteries, which occurs when plaque in the arteries is present, and whether knowing your PRS can be effective at reducing cardiovascular risk.
We followed up with Associate Professor Melinda Carrington to see how the EDCAD study is progressing.
I’m very pleased to report we have continued to have a great response from the community to participate in the study, and we are collecting a huge amount of very important research data. So far, we have screened almost 1800 people, and we continue to find people with high cholesterol and hypertension who weren’t aware of this before.
Our researchers are gaining valuable insights and we are moving closer to developing a comprehensive risk assessment tool that could be used by GPs and specialists across the country to help better identify heart disease. Support from our donors has meant that we can cover the various costs associated with the study, such as a nurse, blood tests and screening equipment. It also has enabled our researchers to collaborate with other labs at the Institute and share learnings.
The generous support of our donors is pivotal to this research, and we are so grateful to have their backing.
To see if you can participate, visit the EDCAD study page.