One stop shop is better for heart attack victims – How a UK hospital changed the American College of Cardiology’s advice for the treatment of heart attack victims


Coronary Revascularisation Research

Coronary Revascularisation Research

A study led by a research team at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester has prompted the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to revise its advice for the treatment of heart attack victims.

Professor Tony Gershlick presented the CVLPRIT study’s findings at the European Society of Cardiology, the biggest cardiology conference in the world. The study, led by Professor Gershlick and Senior Co-Investigator, Dr Gerry McCann, revealed that by treating heart attack patients who have two or three narrowed arteries with additional stents during the same operation, results in a reduction of major complications within 12 months by more than 50%.

The ACC had previously issued a list of “do-not-do” procedures in April 2012 as part of the Choosing Wisely campaign issued by the American Board of Internal Medicine. In an unusual move, following Prof. Gershlick’s presentation, this is the first time that the list has been revised.

“Science is not static but rather constantly evolving,” ACC President Dr Patrick T O’Gara said in a statement. “As such, one of the ACC’s primary roles is to stay abreast of this evolution and provide cardiovascular professionals and patients with the most up-to-date information on which to base decisions about the most appropriate and necessary treatment. The newest findings regarding coronary revascularization are great examples of science on the move, and we are responding accordingly.”


Coronary Revascularisation is the restoration of perfusion (the process of delivering blood to tissue) to a body part or organ that has suffered ischemia (a restriction in the blood supply which causes a shortage of oxygen and glucose and leads to the tissue dying).

The CvLPRIT trial took place at the Glenfield Hospital and was funded by the British Heart Foundation and the National Institute for Health Research.

Prof. Gershlick said “30-40% of heart attack patients also have a narrowing in another artery which at that point in time, isn’t causing a heart attack. So, it has always been difficult to know whether to treat the other artery at the same time as treating the blocked artery. Previous data has always been conflicting but there was some that suggested there may be benefits to treating everything all at once, so we designed a study specifically to look into it.” The ACC also considered a previous UK study, the PRAMI trial which also indicated benefit from treating everything all at once.

Fibromyalgia – Seeking people with fibromyalgia – Nursing students MacEwan University from would like you help with a very short survey.


MacEwan University Fibromyalgia Research

MacEwan University Fibromyalgia Research

A couple of days ago Maria Keirstead got in touch with us at our FaceBook Page FibromyagiaTalk.

Keirstead wrote “My name is Maria and am a third year nursing student at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta. Myself and another student, Jessica, are currently working on a project related to fibromyalgia and have created a questionnaire to help guide us.”

With Fibro being one of the big subjects covered by this blog we are delighted to help Maria and Jessica in any way we can.

You can download the questionnaire here.Fibromyalgia Questionnaire from MacEwan University.

It would be great if you could respond by September 17th, 2014. Thank-you so much.
If you have any questions for us or would like to reply via email, we can be reached at flemingm16@mymacewan.ca or use the comments box below!

We are always delighted to help promote our readers events, blogs, research and publications. Indeed if you have anything you would like us to blog about please email us at patienttalkblog@gmail.com. Thanks.


Win $50 in a draw for taking part in some Fibromyalgia or Pain research for University of Colorado Denver.


University of Colorado Denver

University of Colorado Denver

The University of Colorado Denver is running some interesting research with people who suffer from various types of chronic pain including fibromyalgia.  Jessica Payne-Murphy, who is running the survey, has written a short post outlining the scope of the study!

Payne-Murphy writes “You are invited to take part in a research study: Acceptance-Based Factors in Chronic Pain: A Comparison Between Fibromyalgia and Low Back Pain Patients in an Internet Support Group Sample (COMIRB No: 13-3263). This study is being led by Jessica Payne-Murphy, M.A. at the University of Colorado Denver.

The study involves answering a series of online questionnaires designed to increase understanding of chronic pain. We are inviting participants (age 18 and older) who have been and are currently managing low back pain or fibromyalgia for at least 3 months to complete an online survey. It is anticipated that this survey will take approximately 30-45 minutes of your time to complete.


If you choose to participate in the study, you will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for one of up to ten $50 Amazon.com or Amazon.eu gift cards.

In addition, we request that you forward/share the survey link to other individuals with chronic low back pain or fibromyalgia who may wish to participate in this study so that they may have the opportunity to assist us in gathering information about chronic pain and online support groups.

Please click on the following link if you are interested in learning more about the research study:

https://redcap.ucdenver.edu/surveys/?s=qtaNLcWATj

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at https://www.facebook.com/UCDChronicPainResearchStudy?ref=hl

Multiple Sclerosis Research – Are you a Parent with MS who has a child aged 9-12 years? Please help Maria Hadji-Michael with her doctoral research.


 Multiple Sclerosis Research

Multiple Sclerosis Research

Maria Hadji-Michael has asked us to help her promoted some research she is conducting with people who have MS and have children aged between 9 and 12.

She writes “As part of my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology I am looking for healthy families with children aged 9-12 years to take part in my simple questionnaire – based study. I am investigating how children who have a parent affected by MS cope in families and compare the results to families where both parents are unaffected by illness.

If you decide to take part, you would be asked to simply complete some questionnaires, your spouse/ partner will complete some and also your child will complete their own set. These questionnaires would take no longer than 15 mins per family member and I will provide you with a stamped address envelop for you to post them back to me directly.

My research has obtained full ethical approval from the NHS research ethics committee and all your information will be kept securely and in confidence.


The research is valuable and important, as it will help identify the needs of young children who have a parent with an illness and in this way enable clinicians to design and implement services to address these needs in the future. If you can help me out with this research project please let me know and I will send you the consent forms and questionnaires. Thank you in advance for your help.

Please send me a message over Facebook or via email maria.c.hadjimichael@gmail.com

Maria Hadji-Michael

A survey for parents of ASD children. Drop round and find out more about this important research!


Northumbria University

Northumbria University

Laura Czekirda of Northumberland University is conducting some research into parents of children with autism! Czekirda says “I am currently recruiting participants for my study which is for my dissertation. I am recruiting parents who have a child with autism 3-19 years old to assess the affect locus of control has on their health and well-being.

I am recruiting for my study which involves assessing the psychological and health correlates of locus of control, the feeling that you are in control of your life in parents of children with Autism or Down syndrome, and parents of typically developing children. For more information, and to complete the short survey, please use the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LZ_Caregivers

This study and all its procedures have been approved by the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Ethics Committee at Northumbria University.
Please forward this to your friends. Your contribution to this extremely worthwhile project is gratefully received.”

If you have any questions about the study please use the comments box and we will ask Ms Czekirda  to respond.