Since its establishment in June 2000, under the direction of Associate Professor John Amerena, the Geelong Cardiology Research Unit (CRU) has participated in numerous large scale global clinical trials in cardiovascular disease, and is recognised both nationally and internationally for conducting high quality clinical research and exceeding expected recruitment goals.

The CRU has been involved in approximately 250 pharmaceutical trials over the past 24 years. Up to 200 patients per year in the Geelong greater region are enrolled within our clinical trials at any one time. Their involvement provides local patients with the opportunity to gain access to medications that are not on the market as well as additional clinical monitoring and health care. The CRU has had a number of participants who have gone from study to study over the 24 year period due to their positive experience.

In addition, the CRU is an active member of the Melbourne Interventional Group (MIG) Registry.

The Cardiology Research Unit specialises in investigations into the following therapeutic areas:

  • Heart failure
  • Heart attack and unstable angina
  • High cholesterol and new cholesterol markers
  • Atrial fibrillation / Atrial flutter
  • Peripheral Vascular Disease
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Obesity
  • Inflammation
  • Kidney protection in cardiovascular disease

The CRU has been involved in the development of a number of new therapies, treatment options and interventional procedures, which have now become standard of care for patients with cardiovascular disease.

A/Professor Amerena frequently performs the role of Australian National Coordinator for global clinical trials in cardiovascular disease, and holds positions on International Steering Committees/Endpoint committees overseeing the conduct of various clinical trials.

Karen Fogarty is the National Study Coordinator for Australia on a number of studies and also sits on a global expert panel.

To find out about Cardiology Trials that are currently recruiting participants, please click here.

Keen to find out more about clinical trials at Barwon Health? Click here to watch cardiology trials in heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions: Dr Will Hughes, 2023 Research Fellow, Cardiology Research Unit, Barwon Health (7 min)

Recent Research Highlights

  • The SELECT study (Semaglutide in obesity and established CVD but without diabetes) found that in patients with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease without diabetes, once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide was associated with a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiac events during a mean exposure period of 33 months.
  • The CRU recruited the first participant in Australia for three large international clinical trials within the space of seven days (the ARTEMIS, TRIUMPH OUTCOMES and BALANCED- HF trials).
  • Krystle Wilson presented poster presentations relating to women in clinical trials at the 2023 Barwon Health Research Symposium.
  • The Cardiac Distress Inventory study to assess a tool used to identify distress in patients following a cardiac event should prove to be a useful clinical assessment tool, as well as a research instrument.
  • Karen Fogarty was appointed to a global expert panel for Novo Nordisk and appointed national lead for the ARTEMIS study.
  • A/Prof John Amerena was appointed national lead for a large international clinical trial (the BalanceD HF study).

Collaborating Organisations

Deakin University Monash University
 Melbourne Interventional Group Registry

 

Research Team

Research Staff

Featured Publications

Managing cardiac-related mental health problems: Challenges and solutions. MURPHY, B. M., AMERENA, J., & JACKSON, A. C. (2023). Cardiology Today (1838-8787), 13(2).
The impact of age on ablation outcomes in AF‐mediated cardiomyopathy. Segan, L., Chieng, D., Sugumar, H., Voskoboinik, A., Ling, L.H., Costello, B., Azzopardi, S., Nderitu, Z., Parameswaran, R., Amerena, J. and McLellan, A.J., 2023.. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 34(10), pp.2065-2075.
Clinical risk prediction model for 30-day all-cause re-hospitalisation or mortality in patients hospitalised with heart failure. Driscoll, A., Romaniuk, H., Dinh, D., Amerena, J., Brennan, A., Hare, D. L., … & Orellana, L. (2022). International journal of cardiology, 350, 69-76.
The cardiac distress inventory: A new measure of psychosocial distress associated with an acute cardiac event.. Jackson, A. C., Grande, M. R. L., Rogerson, M. C., Ski, C. F., Amerena, J., Smith, J. A., … & Murphy, B. M. (2022). BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 22(1), 460.
Unraveling the complexity of cardiac distress: a study of prevalence and severity. Jackson, A. C., Rogerson, M. C., Amerena, J., Smith, J., Hoover, V., Alvarenga, M. E., … & Murphy, B. M. (2022).. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 808904.
Non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy: recognising the genetic links. Paul C, Peters S, Perrin M, Fatkin D, Amerena J.Intern Med J. 2022 Aug 31. doi: 10.1111/imj.15921. Online ahead of print.PMID: 36043846
Consensus statement on the current pharmacological prevention and management of heart failure. Sindone AP, De Pasquale C, Amerena J, Burdeniuk C, Chan A, Coats A, Hare DL, Macdonald P, Sverdlov A, Atherton JJ.Med J Aust. 2022 Aug 15;217(4):212-217. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51656. Epub 2022 Jul 31.PMID: 35908234
Clinical risk prediction model for 30-day all-cause re-hospitalisation or mortality in patients hospitalised with heart failure. Driscoll A, Romaniuk H, Dinh D, Amerena J, Brennan A, Hare DL, Kaye D, Lefkovits J, Lockwood S, Neil C, Prior D, Reid CM, Orellana L.Int J Cardiol. 2022 Mar 1;350:69-76. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2021.12.051. Epub 2021 Dec 31.PMID: 34979149
Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibition in Acute Myocardial Infarction. Pfeffer MA, Claggett B, Lewis EF, Granger CB, Køber L, Maggioni AP, Mann DL, McMurray JJV, Rouleau JL, Solomon SD, Steg PG, Berwanger O, Cikes M, De Pasquale CG, East C, Fernandez A, Jering K, Landmesser U, Mehran R, Merkely B, Vaghaiwalla Mody F, Petrie MC, Petrov I, Schou M, Senni M, Sim D, van der Meer P, Lefkowitz M, Zhou Y, Gong J, Braunwald E; PARADISE-MI Investigators and Committees.N Engl J Med. 2021 Nov 11;385(20):1845-1855. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2104508
Hyponatraemia in heart failure. Tee SL, Sindone A, Roger S, Atherton J, Amerena J, D’Emden M, Erlich J, De Pasquale C. Intern Med J. 2020;50(6):659-66.
Vericiguat in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. Armstrong PW, Pieske B, Anstrom KJ, Ezekowitz J, Hernandez AF, Butler J, Lam CSP, Ponikowski P, Voors AA, Jia G, et al. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(20):1883-93.
The effect of transitional care on 30-day outcomes in patients hospitalised with acute heart failure. Driscoll A, Dinh D, Prior D, Kaye D, Hare D, Neil C, Lockwood S, Brennan A, Lefkovits J, Carruthers H, et al. Heart Lung Circ. Ahead of print 2020.
Smartphone cardiac rehabilitation, assisted self-management versus usual care: Protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial to compare effects and costs among people with coronary heart disease. Rawstorn JC, Ball K, Oldenburg B, Chow CK, McNaughton SA, Lamb KE, Gao L, Moodie M, Amerena J, Nadurata V, et al. JMIR Res Protoc. 2020;9(1):e15022.
Timing of staged nonculprit artery revascularization in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: COMPLETE trial. Wood DA, Cairns JA, Wang J, Mehran R, Storey RF, Nguyen H, Meeks B, Kunadian V, Tanguay JF, Kim HH, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;74(22):2713-23.
Angiotensin-neprilysin inhibition in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Solomon SD, McMurray JJV, Anand IS, Ge J, Lam CSP, Maggioni AP, Martinez F, Packer M, Pfeffer MA, Pieske B, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(17):1609-20.
Complete revascularization with multivessel PCI for myocardial infarction. Mehta SR, Wood DA, Storey RF, Mehran R, Bainey KR, Nguyen H, Meeks B, Di Pasquale G, Lopez-Sendon J, Faxon DP, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(15):1411-21.
Ticagrelor in patients with stable coronary disease and diabetes. Steg PG, Bhatt DL, Simon T, Fox K, Mehta SR, Harrington RA, Held C, Andersson M, Himmelmann A, Ridderstrale W, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(14):1309-20.
Ticagrelor in patients with diabetes and stable coronary artery disease with a history of previous percutaneous coronary intervention (THEMIS-PCI): A phase 3, placebo-controlled, randomised trial.Bhatt DL, Steg PG, Mehta SR, Leiter LA, Simon T, Fox K, Held C, Andersson M, Himmelmann A, Ridderstrale W, et al. Lancet. 2019;394(10204):1169-80.
Effects of serelaxin in patients with acute heart failure. Metra M, Teerlink JR, Cotter G, Davison BA, Felker GM, Filippatos G, Greenberg BH, Pang PS, Ponikowski P, Voors AA, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(8):716-26.

Support Our Research

Participate in a Clinical Trial

To find out about clinical trials currently underway at Barwon Health, click here.

Donate

Clinical trials require ongoing investment and there are several ways to support this amazing work,

You can make a donation today and contribute to an item on our research wish list, consider a bequest in your will, or establish a lasting legacy fund in your name. No matter what size, your philanthropic support with deliver an immediate impact.

To donate now or for more information and further discuss your support, please contact the Barwon Health Foundation.

Wish List

  1. $1000 – $5000 would fund a new ECG machine for the research unit.
  2. < $1000 would fund a much-needed set of electronic scales to weight patients registered in clinical trials up to 150kg.
  3. <$1000 will fund a printer to enable us to produce material for staff and patient education, as well as study updates to ensure our participants are well educated and well informed.

Page last updated: December 23, 2024