Congratulations to GIM members Drs. John Staples, Liam Brunham, and Simon Pimstone, who have received funding in the recent Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant competition!
Dr. Staples’ project will study car crash risk among people who have driving restrictions due to a heart condition. Current restrictions prevent individuals who have been recently implanted with a cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) from driving for one to six months in case the device malfunctions or causes heart rhythm problems. These restrictions put a large burden on the patient, yet the effectiveness of these restrictions is unknown. The research team will analyze population-based administrative data from Cardiac Services BC, ICBC, and Population Data BC to determine which individuals are at the highest risk of a crash, how many crashes can be prevented by the device, and whether modifications need to be made to the current restrictions on ICD patients.
Drs. Brunham and Pimstone will explore whether family members of individuals with early onset heart disease can be effectively screened for the disease. They will identify individuals with early onset heart disease (men less than 50 years and women less than 55 years of age) and assess the risk of their first-degree relatives (siblings, children, parents) developing heart disease, as heart disease risk is strongly influenced by genetics. Eligible family members identified to be at risk of cardiovascular disease will be offered preventative therapies to reduce this risk. The project, called Study to Avoid Vascular Events in BC (SAVE BC) also aims to improve family-based screening, and examine the clinical and genetic risk factors for early onset heart disease.
Dr. John Staples
Dr. Liam Brunham
Dr. Simon Pimstone