A heavy Christmas lunch, an argument or even smoke from a bushfire may seem harmless, but for people at risk of heart disease, they could be deadly.
A new study is investigating how emotional stress, pollution, chest infections, and large meals can trigger heart attacks in vulnerable people, and importantly, how to manage those triggers in the moment.
Royal North Shore Hospital cardiologist and Kolling Institute researcher Professor Geoffrey Tofler is leading the clinical trial, which is now recruiting people to test whether taking aspirin or beta blockers at the time of a trigger can help prevent cardiac events.
During the trial, participants will use an app to log symptoms and receive stress-reduction advice.
Professor Tofler, who has researched heart attacks for close to 40 years, says the science tells us that some heart attacks aren’t random.
“If people are aware of the triggers, there's something they can do about them,” he said.
The research team is looking for 120 people over 40 to join the seven-month study dubbed the Triggered Acute Risk Prevention study or TARP. Three sites are involved in the trial including Royal North Shore Hospital, North Shore Private and Westmead Hospitals.
Participants must have at least two risk factors for heart disease - such as high cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking or diabetes - or known heart disease.
“If you’ve just had an argument or know you’re heading into a big meal, the app helps you act,” says Geoffrey.
“You log the trigger, like anger or a heavy meal, and it guides you through what to do.
“Despite all the advances in understanding about risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and the treatments, heart attacks remain a leading cause of death,” he said.
For further information on how to take part in this study, please email your closest site: For Royal North Shore and North Shore Private: Cheryl.Macadam@health.nsw.gov.au or Anjani.Meka@health.nsw.gov.au for Westmead Hospital.
The study has been approved through HREC 2024/ETH02331.