Summertime affords most of us the luxury of well-deserved and much-needed vacation time. And with vacation comes the opportunity to step back from the daily bustle of our lives and to reflect upon our accomplishments, our shortcomings and our plans for the future. This past year has been a particularly rewarding time to be the Director of Research at the Florida Heart Research Institute. Our mission is to stop heart disease through research, education and prevention. Although the task is daunting, we were fortunate to make considerable strides in several areas.
In the realm of education, we have launched two major initiatives, both of which are not merely informative, but actively constructive. The STOP HEART DISEASE LICENSE PLATE is rapidly becoming an increasing part of the Florida automotive landscape. With over six thousand sold, this unique license plate is the only one in the nation which raises funds to support research and education in the fight against heart disease. (For more information on how you can purchase this plate, please call 886 HRT-TAGS, or visit www.heartplate.org). We are not only increasing public awareness of the number one killer in the nation, but also providing an opportunity to become part of the solution.
Also in the realm of education, as well as prevention, we have expanded the heart health screenings regularly performed for the public here at the Institute, to offer cardiac risk screenings at health fairs, community centers and corporate offices. The information we provide helps individuals to directly identify those items (smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, excess weight, ineffective exercise) which are threatening their lives and well-being, as well as to empower them to make changes which can have demonstrable impact on improving their health. At the same time, we are assisting organizations to understand the scope of the problem amongst their personnel, as well as helping them institute and monitor programs designed to improve cardiovascular health.
Although it is critical to use the information currently available to improve the life and health of the population, we must never stop seeking to expand the frontiers of that knowledge. In this realm as well the Research Institutes efforts have born fruit over this past year. In order to maximize our productivity, the Research Institute collaborates with other leading research institutions and individuals to conduct specific projects.
Over a quarter of a million people die each year of sudden cardiac death. Our exploration into the genetic basis of sudden cardiac death has yielded a novel method of detecting even the smallest amounts of genetic material from peripheral bloodan advance which may prove critical when attempting to search for unusual mutations.
The fastest growing form of cardiovascular disease is congestive heart failure, afflicting over 5 million Americans, with approximately one half million new victims each year. It is now well recognized that the failing heart secretes certain hormonesthe natriuretic peptides, which can serve as both diagnostic and prognostic markers. What we are discovering is that both the genetic signals for natriuretic hormone release, and the ultimate chemical form of the hormone may vary in disease states, perhaps helping to account for the inability of this hormone to clinically compensate or halt the progression of congestive heart failure. These novel findings have deep implications not only for the value of these hormones as diagnostic and prognostic markers, but also for new more effective treatments for this devastating and morbid disease.
Although the controversy regarding embryonic stem cells continues to rage in the halls of Congress and the state legislatures, our investigations have revealed that the bone marrow of each person contains a selective subset of primordial or “stem” cells which can help restore blood flow and prevent further injury to a heart which has suffered a heart attack. The potential involved in these findings is enormousnot merely in terms of developing therapies to limit the damage from heart attacks, but perhaps also in helping to unlock the previously unattainable mysteries of cardiac (and/or other organ) regeneration.
As one can see, it has indeed been a productive year. Our task for the summer? Not to revel in our accomplishments, but to rest and recuperate just long enough to bring new vigor to the ambitious course we have charted.
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