Rockhampton heart patients will get first access to a clinical trial into heart failure prevention.
The trial aimed at people living with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
Recruiting is under way for between 16 and 20 suitable participants who will take two tablets once a day and will attend approximately 15 clinic appointments over the period of the study, which is expected to be about three years.
Director of Cardiology Dr Sam Sidharta says Rockhampton is the only regional Queensland site among the projected 850 locations across 35 countries.
“It makes sense that our patients have access to this trial,” Dr Sidharta said.
“National Heart Foundation statistics show that Central Queensland is the blood pressure capital of Australia.”
High blood pressure has been associated with up to 90% of new heart failure cases.
Central Queensland also has high obesity and smoking rates, is in the top 7 least active populations across the country, and in the top 4 heart attack hot spots in Queensland.
These people are more likely to develop heart failure – a heart condition where the heart does not pump blood around the body as well as it should.
The trial is looking into whether a potential new combination of treatments can help reduce the chance of developing heart failure.
Dr Sidharta says that, while Central Queensland patients are the big winners in this trial, it’s also a huge benefit when it comes to the recruitment and retention of highly skilled clinicians to the region.
“By participating in research and clinical trials, we demonstrate that we are able to offer staff the opportunity and access to further training and education as well as enhancing their career progression, and that is very attractive for clinicians,” he said.
“Clinical trials are also strongly linked with good clinical practice.”
