Charity Focus
Supporting the Nicola Emmerson Trust
The Nicola Emmerson Trust – helping to improve the understanding of the causes of sudden death
Their next Event, supported by H&G
Event: Charity Golf Event
Date: Friday 27th April
Venue: Nazeing Golf Club, Essex
For more information or if you would like to get involved with this event, contact Charlotte Harper - H&G.
The Charity
Improved treatment of coronary disease has decreased mortality from heart attacks with positive effects on human health. However in the wake of these impressive impacts we are seeing more patients presenting with heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias) with one manifestation being the recognition of more cases of sudden cardiac death including unexplained deaths striking down young healthy people. Our research focuses on the cardiac rhythms that are responsible for sudden death in all its manifestations and has several strands, one of which is helped by The Nicola Emmerson Trust.
The laboratory-based research programme, conducted in the University of Cambridge, concentrates on the basic causes of arrhythmias. To address this problem we build model systems carrying the human gene mutations that are often the cause of sudden death. The research group comprises 9-12 individuals and we publish large numbers of scientific papers that help us to understand what causes sudden death. The work is allowing us both to predict which patients are at risk and to develop better treatments. Without work of this sort we will be unable to get to the cause of this problem that causes distress to so many.
The clinical part of the programme based at Papworth Hospital is based on the work in the University and makes measurements directly from patients’ hearts to indicate who is at risk so that the best treatment can be applied. Over the next 12 months this work will move forward by making our technology and measurements exportable to other centres so that more people will benefit. The Nicola Emmerson Trust will support the work that makes this transition possible.
The third strand is the provision of better treatments and so we are the leading centre developing the entirely subcutaneous ICD (SICD) (difribulator). The SICD is now available throughout the UK and in many at risk patients has advantages over current treatments. The development work on the SICD continues at Papworth including a clinical trial that will lead to regulatory approval internationally.
Their work has therefore already resulted in improved treatments for patients. Many lives have been saved but we are just beginning with much more needing to be done.
For more information:
http://www.nicolaemmersontrust.co.uk/
