Revolutionizing Heart Attack Prevention: The SCAPIS Study's Pursuit of Early Detection
Every year, around 8,000 individuals under the age of 70 experience their first heart attack, with over 1,000 of these cases proving fatal. To combat this alarming trend, Dr. Göran Bergström, chief physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, has set an ambitious goal: to significantly reduce the number of individuals facing this risk by 2030.
Dr. Bergström is not just a chief physician; he also serves as a professor at the University of Gothenburg and is scientifically responsible for SCAPIS, the world's largest heart-related study. This groundbreaking Swedish initiative involves six universities and university hospitals collaborating to investigate 30,000 residents, all with a mission to predict and ultimately prevent heart and lung diseases.
"My focus is to try to identify completely healthy people who wander around without symptoms but have a looming risk of suffering a heart attack without them knowing it. I very much want to find tools to identify those people, and that’s where SCAPIS comes in," Dr. Bergström explains.
In the course of the study, researchers scrutinize participants' hearts and blood vessels for any signs indicating a potential risk for a heart attack. The findings from the 30,000 examined individuals reveal that over 40% exhibit changes in their blood vessels. While most have minor changes, one in every twenty individuals has significant alterations without any knowledge of their condition. Currently, research is underway to develop simpler and cheaper methods for identifying at-risk individuals, such as a simple blood test.
If these high-risk individuals can be identified early, preventive measures can be taken to help them avoid a heart attack.
"This largely involves facilitating lifestyle changes, but there are also excellent medications available. We have many tools at our disposal for those who are living with risk, but we need to locate these individuals first," says Dr. Bergström.
He adds, "What could be revolutionary is if we discover straightforward ways to pinpoint high-risk individuals. Perhaps we can measure certain markers in the blood to establish a cost-effective testing method. If SCAPIS leads to a smart screening approach, I would aim for it to eliminate 20 to 30 percent of those at risk."
However, conducting a study as extensive as SCAPIS comes with significant financial requirements. The Heart-Lung Foundation acts as the primary financier for this research, and every contribution becomes critical for advancing these endeavors.
Dr. Bergström emphasizes, "We can measure a multitude of factors in the blood of these individuals, yet there are still many things we wish to measure that we can't afford right now. I am hopeful that innovative solutions will soon emerge, and financial support is what will allow us to take the next steps in this important research."
To support the fight against heart attacks and contribute to this valuable research, donations can be made to help further SCAPIS's mission. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps pave the way for a future where heart attacks can be prevented before they even occur.
Related Sources: