Alberta Heart Failure Etiology and Analysis Research Team (Alberta HEART)

  • Study cohort: Albertans with systolic and diastolic heart failure (HF) or a high risk of developing HF. High risk factors include hypertension, atrial fibrillation, obesity, diabetes, other cardiac conditions (e.g. acute coronary syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]).
  • Data analyzed: laboratory data/biomarkers, history, echocardiograms (ECGs), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc. from the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD), medications from the Pharmaceutical Information Network (PIN), demographics from Statistics Canada.
  • These data have been used for several research projects, including the following:
    • Defining new diagnostic criteria for patients with diastolic HF.
    • Informing targeted therapies and diagnostic tests.
    • Obtaining a better understanding of patients with diastolic HD, and those at risk of developing it.
  • CVC faculty involvement: Justin Ezekowitz, Padma Kaul, Finlay McAlister