Dr Natalie Ward awarded Dr Neil Cumpston Cardiovascular Grant to Propel Acute Coronary Syndrome Research

In memory of Dr Neil Cumpston, this new grant aims to revolutionise cardiovascular patient care. Congratulations to Dr Natalie Ward, a senior research fellow at the University of Western Australia and the Dobney Hypertension Centre, who has been awarded the Dr Neil Cumpston Cardiovascular Grant.

The grant will support Dr Ward’s innovative project titled ‘Establishment of an Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Registry with capacity for biobanking, long-term follow-up and embedded registry-based clinical trials.’

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is a term used to describe a condition where blood flow to the myocardium (the muscular tissue of the heart) is abruptly restricted due to coronary artery obstruction caused by unstable atherosclerotic plaque within the coronary arteries. Almost 60,000 Australians experience ACS every year it remains the leading cause of death and disability in Australia. Even with modern medical care, 13% of ACS cases are fatal, making it the primary cause of death in the country. Survivors may face irreversible damage to the heart muscle, leading to chronic heart failure, a condition with poor mortality outcomes comparable to some cancers. Despite advances in treatment and secondary prevention, there is much that remains unknown about ACS.

Dr Ward’s research, in collaboration with co-investigators Dr Jing Pang and Dr Adil Rajwani, seeks to tackle the challenges posed by ACS. The Dr Neil Cumpston Cardiovascular Grant will be used to establish a comprehensive acute coronary syndrome (ACS) registry. Further to this they will embed ACS subtype registries, establish a registry-based clinical trials platform, and develop relevant consumer and patient advocacy groups.

The ACS registry's impact is far-reaching. It will significantly improve patient care and outcomes, increase our understanding of ACS, and enhance the management of ACS in Indigenous patients, an area currently lacking adequate evidence-based approaches. By identifying novel treatments and interventions through the registry-based trial platform, the project aims to reduce re-infarction rates and improve the overall quality of patient care.

This project will also help establish Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) as a leader in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with cardiovascular disease, at the forefront of consumer involvement in research, and as an innovator in efficient and effective methods to integrate research into everyday clinical care.

ACS has a considerable health and economic burden, implementing this registry will help drive long-term improvements in patient care and outcomes through identifying novel treatments with the ability to test interventions using the registry-based trial platform.

This grant was made possible thanks to a generous gift from Mrs Bevereley Cumpston in memory of her late husband Dr Neil Cumpston.

Dr Neil Cumpston, FRACP, FSCAI was formerly Head of Department of Cardiology at the Royal Perth Hospital and leader of the introduction of interventional coronary cardiology in Western Australia. Dr Cumpston was the first to implant a transvenous cardiac pacemaker, which was the only nuclear-powered pacemaker in Western Australia at the time. He also established the first ultrasound for cardiac ablation, and performed the first coronary arteriogram, introducing coronary angioplasty to Western Australia. Dr Cumpston’s dedication to the field of cardiology and angiography revolutionised treatment at RPH and beyond.

It is a great honour that the RPH Research Foundation can continue his legacy of advancing cardiology patient care through this grant. The data and knowledge gleaned from the establishment of the ACS Registry will increase our understanding of this disease and contribute to reducing the health and economic burden of cardiovascular disease in Australia and beyond.