Research

Each year a considerable amount of funding is committed to research projects, grants, fellowships, postgraduate scholarships and summer studentships. Much of this research has significantly contributed to lowering New Zealand's high rate of cardiovascular disease.

We also support a Chair in Cardiovascular Studies at the University of Otago's School of Medicine and work closely with health professionals, keeping them informed with the latest research information.

Heart Foundation funded research includes:

• The links between hormones and heart disease
• The causes and effects of high blood pressure
• The use of different drug therapies to treat newborn babies and infants after heart surgery
• The causes and treatment of rheumatic fever
• The role of hormone replacement
• Development of non-surgical techniques for repair of congenital heart defects in children
• Examining the mechanisms which lead to development of artherosclerosis in coronary arteries
• Determining the role of low-dose aspirin in preventing the development of blood clots
• Studies to reduce the renarrowing of arteries after balloon angioplasty.