Professor Vijay Kunadian, an honorary consultant interventional cardiologist at Newcastle Hospitals, picked up the clinical research excellence award at the Global Cardiovascular Awards.
The awards, hosted by Cardiovascular News with support from the European Cardiovascular Research Institute (ECRI), Cardialysis and Boston Scientific, recognise those at the forefront of improving how cardiovascular disease is treated.
Reviewing best treatment options
The SENIOR-RITA study was led by Prof. Kunadian and took place in 48 NHS hospitals.
Funded by the British Heart Foundation, the study involved over 1,518 patients who had had a heart attack known as a non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).
NSTEMI is a type of heart attack that usually happens when the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen. It involves partial blockage of one of the coronary arteries, causing reduced flow of blood to the heart.
The damage caused to heart is usually less severe than a STEMI (ST segment elevation myocardial infarction), but they are still life-threatening and require urgent medical attention.
Patients who are at risk of having a NSTEMI typically undergo an invasive coronary angiogram within 72 hours.
This procedure involves inserting a small tube (catheter) into an artery and guiding it up to the heart, allowing doctors to look inside a patient’s coronary arteries to check for narrowing or blockages.
To date, there has been a lack of evidence on the best treatment options for older people who have suffered a NSTEMI. This is due to small sample sizes in previous trials and an under-representation of older people in the trials.
Patients on the SENIOR-RITA study were randomised to one of two groups to:
- Invasive strategy: an invasive coronary angiogram and revascularisation, a procedure which restores blood flow, and best available medication (for example, statins)
- Conservative strategy: using best available medication alone
The results of the study found a 25% reduction in risk of non-fatal heart attacks in patients in the invasive group, compared to those in the non-invasive group.
In addition, the conservative group required over three times as many subsequent procedures (14%) compared to the invasive group (4%).
While the invasive approach was found to be safe, it had no significant impact on the risk of heart-related death during the four-year follow-up.
Similarly, while invasive treatment also reduced the need for future surgeries, it did not reduce the risk of heart-related deaths when compared to a conservative approach.
“Age should not been a barrier”
Prof. Kunadian is also a professor of interventional cardiology at Newcastle University and the first female in the UK to hold this title. On winning the award, she said:
“I am incredibly grateful to receive the clinical research excellence award for the SENIOR-RITA study.
“The study was the first time this group of patients had been studied in such detail, and the findings highlight that age should not be a barrier to individualised care.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who was involved in making the study a success, and particularly to the many patients who took part.”
