Written on 07/12/2017 by Arthur Kimber
Would you like to volunteer for tests on your heart?
The Centre for Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions and Sports Cardiology at St George’s Hospital, in South London, is researching the cardiac effects of long term high endurance exercise (>10 years at least) in older athletes.
The study is currently recruiting healthy women aged 40-65 years old who have been exercising for most of their life and at least >10 years. Participants should have no history of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or history of smoking. This will be extended to men 40-65 years old in the New Year.
It is a safe and non-invasive study and does not involve any experimental drugs or procedures. It offers the participants an opportunity to undergo free and comprehensive heart tests, which would cost more than 2000£ if done privately. The tests will include heart tracings, heart ultrasound scans, exercise fitness tests (VO2 max), heart MRI and CT scans. You will be asked to attend three hospital visits, each lasting less than 2 hours. The ECG, Echo, V02max, 24-hour monitor and blood test will take place at St Georges Hospital, Tooting, South London. The Cardiac MRI will be booked for you at the Bart’s Heart Centre, in central London and the CT scan will take place in Lewisham University Hospital, South London.
A more detailed description of the study including what it involves, the inclusion/exclusion criteria and the potential risks to volunteers are in the attached information leaflet here. Please read through it and if you have any concerns or questions then please don’t hesitate to contact Dr Papatheodorou who is the principal investigator for this study at veterans.heart.study@gmail.com.
Dr Stathis Papatheodorou, MD
Cardiovascular and Cell Sciences Institute
St Georges University London
Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE
Tel 020 8725 5651