What is research?

Research aims to understand why some people become ill and others do not, what happens when people become ill, and how best to care for people who are ill. New medicines and new medical devices may be tested to see how well they work and to show that they are safe. Cardiology research is vital to the development of improved cardiac care and its delivery. Treatments now commonly in use in the NHS were all developed and tested through research. Many of today's new drugs, devices and treatments might never have been possible without cardiology research, including:

• Drugs that treat high blood pressure, beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors, the use of aspirin as a 'clot-buster', and antiplatelets.
• Devices such as pacemakers, stents, and automatic external defibrillators.
• Techniques like open-heart surgery, heart transplantation, ECG's, balloon angioplasty, catheter ablation, and keyhole surgery.

Top

What does research involve?

A great deal of care is taken to make research projects as safe as possible. There are many criteria that have to be met in order for research to take place. These criteria have been established with the purpose of safeguarding the rights, dignity and welfare of people participating in research. Potential research participants will come under the protection of an independent Research Ethics Committee, who are responsible for ensuring that the research that is taking place is ethical and for protecting the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of all actual or potential research participants. It is the researchers' responsibility to ensure that the research meets the requirements of the Research Governance Framework and the standards of Good Clinical Practice.

Top

What does it mean to be a research patient?

Making your decision
Research is often done with patients as part of their treatment. Some research offers you an opportunity to try a different treatment. Some research may not directly benefit you, but you may decide it is worth taking part in it because it could help other people in the future. If you are thinking of taking part in research, you need to understand what it will involve. You need to be sure that the benefits, either to you or others who will later benefit from the results, are worth the risk involved.

You will be given a lot of information to help you decide if you want to take part in a research project. You will learn who is organising and funding the research, and who has reviewed the study. You will be given information on why you have been chosen to take part and you will learn the purpose of the study. You will be told if there are any side effects of any treatment received when taking part, and if there are any possible disadvantages and risks of taking part in the research. You will also know the possible benefits of taking part. Taking part in the research is entirely voluntary. It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you do decide to take part you will be given this information sheet to keep and be asked to sign a consent form. If you decide to take part you are still free to withdraw at any time and without giving a reason. A decision to withdraw at any time, or a decision not to take part, will not affect the standard of care you receive.

Taking part
If you decide to take part, you will receive information on how long you will be involved in the research, if you will need to visit us or your GP more often than usual, and if travel expenses are available. You will be told exactly what will happen over and above standard diagnosis and treatment at each visit. You will learn if you have any additional responsibilities and if there is anything you have to do. You will have clear information on who to contact with any questions regarding your participation in the research project.  

During the research project
All information collected about you during the course of the research will be kept strictly confidential. Any information about you which leaves the department will have your name and address removed so that you cannot be recognised from it. The researcher will not tell anyone that you have agreed to take part in the research project without your permission.  

If new information becomes available during the course of the research project, a member of our research team will tell you about it and discuss with you whether you want to continue in the project. If you decide to withdraw, we will make arrangements for your care to continue.  

Finally, you will learn how potential complaints will be handled and what remedy will be available, and what we may provide if something serious were to happen during or following your participation in the project.

After the research project
At the end of the project all the research results are gathered together and analysed. The researchers have a professional responsibility to publish their findings. Most research is published in the medical press. If you are interested in knowing the overall results of the study, ask the researchers about this. Some projects last several years and so the results may not be published for some time. Under the Data Protection Act (1988), you have the right to apply for access to the information we hold about you.

Further information
Consumers for Ethics in Research has produced two very good pamphlets on health and medical research which may be accessed here. These sum up what has been said here and should answer any more questions you may have:

• Health Research and You [PDF 330KB]
• Medical Research and You [PDF 34KB]

The National Electronic Library for Health also gives general information and advice for people deciding whether to take part in a research project. [Please note, links will open in new browser window].

Top

Are there any opportunities in research for me?

Please refer to our list of research projects below.  The opportunities listed are not exhaustive and we encourage you to contact us with any questions regarding research and research opportunities in our department.

• CAMTAF
  If you have co-existent heart failure and an irregular heart rythm, called atrial fibrillation, we are looking at comparing catheter ablation with optimal medical therapy to see which of the two approaches would benefit your heart failure more.
  The project will follow you for 6 months.
• CAVERN
  If you have irregular heart beat you will require a catheter ablation procedure which can possibly restore and maintain a normal heart rhythm. The catheters (long thin wires that burn small areas of the heart) are passed from the leg to the heart using an x-ray camera and special mapping systems to see the wires are on a TV screen. The use of a TV screen allows us to reduce the amount of x-rays used. Currently there are two mapping systems available (CARTO and NavX), both of which are used in our hospital and widely around the world. We would like to compare these systems to see how long the procedures take, how much x-ray exposure is needed.
  The project will follow you for 6 months.
• CRYO vs RFA
• EPICARDIAL
  If you have heart failure, we are looking at providing you with cardiac resynchronization therapy to help you feel better, either through your shoulder vein or through a vein in the lower part of your chest.  
  The project will follow you for 6 months.
• HANSEN
• MIGRAINE
• TiBi-HF
  Your doctor will have told you that you have a condition called heart failure. This is a very common condition and describes a weakness of the pumping function of the lower heart chambers called the ventricles. In many patients with heart failure, the lower chambers of the heart don't beat at the same time. This makes the heart pump less effectively. One available treatment is the use of pacemakers that stimulate both the lower chambers of the heart at the same time.
  The project will follow you for 6 months.