BHI CardioNomics

Welcome to the BHI CardioNomics Hypertension & Heart Failure Research Group 

We are a group of clinicians and researchers interested in HYPERTENSION (high blood pressure) and HEART FAILURE  (when the heart doesn't pump blood as well as it should). We are trying to understand what causes these conditions and develop new ways to prevent and treat them.   Dr Angus Nightingale runs a weekly Hypertension Clinic at the Bristol Heart Institute, specialising in the treatment of patients with high blood pressure.  This clinic is unique as it is not offered anywhere else in the country. We offer novel treatments for hypertension, including renal denervation, as well as the opportunity to take part in research studies to find out more about these conditions.

***LATEST NEWS***

May 2021: We are back!

We have now been given permission to restart recruitment to all of our research studies, with COVID-19 safety measures in place. Click here to see which studies we are running. We are looking for volunteers with heart failure, high blood pressure & also 'control' volunteers without any health conditions.

May 2019: Heart Failure Patient Education Day at BAWA

There were some great presentations about lifestyle changes such as meditation that can help patients with heart failure, then medicines in heart failure and how to manage them. Followed by time for patients and their carers to come and chat about our research.

May 2019: Would you like to help guide our future research?

We are looking for people who might, from time to time, be willing to communicate via phone or email, or occasionally, be able to meet with us to help decide how and what we should study. This is known as Patient & Public Involvement (PPI). People who choose to get involved in this voluntary work generally find it stimulating and rewarding and it's extremely important for us to get the perspective of patients in our research. Click here for more information and/or to join.

April 2019: 2 new studies open to recruitment!

We are looking at the underlying mechanisms of of the 2 types of Heart Failure and also the Sex Differences in Hypertension click herefor more information!

 

September 2018: As part of Know Your Numbers week, we headed to Farrington Park Golf Club to measure Blood Pressures and Body Mass Indexes

Cam Valley Rotary Club were keen to get a quick health check after a round of golf - we may have had a few excuses of losing a round of golf for some of the higher BP values ;-). Great day out and lovely to meet the members of the club. How does your Blood Pressure compare on our chart?

June 2018: Take a look at our latest research publication!

One of our recent studies led by Dr Ben Chant, has been published in a major journal. It shows the different levels of blood pressure reached during exercise in people with and without high blood pressure. Click here to read more! We would like to thank all of the amazing participants who took part and made this possible!

We are now on Twitter

You can now follow our research activities via our twitter page @CardioNomics

KNOW YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE?

We have been very excited to join the  Stroke Association for some of their Know Your Blood Pressure events over the last few months in and around Bristol. The next event will be at  The Galleries in Bristol on Saturday 22 April between 10am and 4pm.

Come and check your blood pressure, plus chat about opportunities to take part in research. We look forward to seeing you there! 

You can follow the South West Stroke Association team on  Facebook and  Twitter

Deep Brain Stimulation for hypertension in the national press!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4266260/Grandmother-s-blood-pressure-lowered-electric-wire.html

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/772742/high-blood-pressure-cure-brain-stroke-risk

Dr. Erin O'Callaghan (Senior Research Associate) and Mr. Nikunj Patel (Consultant Neurosurgeon) present a case of deep brain stimulation as a treatment for hypertension to the American Heart Association

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRaY9dFvuMo

Dr Emma Hart discusses a novel new target in the treatment of hypertension.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JckK9PkIXY

On the 17th of May 2016, the Cardionomics group celebrated World Hypertension Day by providing free blood pressure checks at Cribbs Causeway Bristol.

The event was a great success with more than 180 people of all ages having their blood pressure measured. The blood pressures collected was sent to the World Hypertension League who have published the results of all the events happening the world over. 

Our very own Dr Emma Hart has been invited to talk at Physiology 2016 International Conference in Dublin on Sunday 31st July

It's a fantastic achievement to be invited to give the Physiological Society Sharpey-Schafer Prize Lecture. Emma will be talking about 'Is high blood pressure self-protection for the brain?'

Click here to watch the livestream from 11:15 on Sunday or for more information click here

High Blood Pressure is known as the silent killer. How much do you know about Blood Pressure?

Test your knowledge with this Blood Pressure quiz! click here

Our next blood pressure awareness day is coming up on Tuesday 17th May 2016 to coincide with World Hypertension Day!

Do you know your numbers?

We will be based at Cribbs Causeway (Upper Level opposite Swarovski) for the day checking blood pressure and talking about our latest research projects. Come and see where your blood pressure lies on our chart.

 

Feb 2016: Professor Julian Paton from the BHI Cardionomics group interviewed for Medical News Today on new approaches to hypertension treatment

Hypertension: are we missing something?

Prof Paton talks about the role of the nervous system in blood flow and the research the team are doing to develop new ways to treat high blood pressure. Click here to read the full article!

 

Dec 2015: Bristol Heart Institute leading the way with new heart failure technology

We will be part of a team evaluating new technology called "my health tags", which will remind patients to take their prescribed medicines for heart failure.

Please click here for more information on this exciting project, which we hope will help patients with heart failure, as well as save money by reducing medicine wastage.

 

Sep 2015: Optimising Blood Pressure Control - preventing strokes and review of the latest evidence.

Meeting to discuss the Interface between Primary and Secondary Care.

Thanks to everyone who attended this multi-disciplinary, evening meeting at Engineer's House, Clifton. It was well attended with 40 healthcare professionals including nurses, pharmacists and GP's and received great feedback. We plan to continue to make this an annual event.  Below is a summary of presentations from the evening.

 

New study open to recruitment!

Would you like to volunteer to take part in a research study?  

Please click here for more information.

 

May 2015: Cardionomics Group involved in Pint of Science Festival!

High Blood Pressure & the Selfish Brain at the Hen & Chicken

Drs Angus Nightingale and Emma Hart gave a talk on high blood pressure in Bristol and why new findings show that people with high blood pressure may have different blood vessels compared to those with normal blood pressure. Is these anatomical changes causing high blood pressure or is the high blood pressure causing the changes. Great to be involved in spreading the word about research and science going on in Bristol!

For more information or to volunteer for our brain blood flow study please click here.

 

Blood Pressure Day - Wednesday 20th May 2015

As part of International Clinical Trials Day, we held our fourth Blood Pressure Day in the Bristol Heart Institute Atrium.

100 staff and visitors had their blood pressure checked and we raised awareness of the problems of high blood pressure and the importance of having regular health checks.

We also had some interest in our current research studies, which is great - please click here if you are interested in taking part in a blood pressure study

We are planning to hold our next Blood Pressure Day in Winter 2015.

 

Blood Pressure Day - Wednesday 9th July 2014

We recently held our third Blood Pressure Day in the BRI Welcome Centre.

The aim of this event was to increase blood pressure awareness and encourage people to have their blood pressure checked.

Hypertension (or high blood pressure) doesn't usually cause symptoms, so many adults do not know that they have it.  High blood pressure can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.  The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked.  High blood pressure can be treated and the risk can be lowered.

The event proved to be very popular with both staff and members of the public, with 195 people visiting us to have their blood pressure checked.

 

   

 

 

Optimising Blood Pressure Control - QOF and Beyond

The Interface between Primary and Secondary Care.  Wednesday 9th October 2013 

Thank you to everyone that attended the recent evening meeting held at Hotel du Vin, Bristol. 

It proved to be a popular evening with over 55 GPs, secondary care clinicians and allied health care professionals attending this interactive masterclass.

Please complete the feedback forms to receive a certificate of attendance.  

      

Hypertension Management Study Day - Wednesday 21 August 2013      

Thank you to everyone that attended the Hypertension Update for Practice Nurses on 21 August.

It was interesting to hear about the challenges of managing hypertension in primary care. We hope you took away some tips and tricks from our Hypertension Clinic experience and will send out copies of the talks in the next few days.