Diabetes & Cardiovascular disease
Research program
Since about 10-15 years the group has been engaged in clinical research in the field of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The work has attracted substantial national and international interest and resulted in new knowledge within the field. Much research initiated by our group has subsequently been repeated elsewhere with supportive outcome.
Members of group have initiated and conducted clinical trials recruiting patients at a number of centres within and outside Sweden. Several of the research reports produced by the members of the group have been published in highly ranked scientific journals and are frequently quoted. During the years eight PhD theses have been produced based on research within the group.
Some examples on well known studies are the two DIGAMI (Diabetes Insulin-Glucose infusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction) trials in patients with diabetes and myocardial infarction. Other well known studies are the GAMI trial, the Euro Heart Survey on Diabetes and the Heart and DADD (Diabetes And Diastolic Dysfunction). These studies already contributed to clinical practise as regards the evaluation and treatment of patients with glucose perturbations and myocardial infarction. Important and new knowledge provided by the group is the very high prevalence of glucometabolic abnormalities in patients with acute as well as stable coronary artery disease. Moreover the concept of intensive glucose control as an important remedy for improving survival among diabetic patients with myocardial infarction has been well received. Members of the group are involved in major clinical trials in the field with a global patients recruitment.
Ongoing research is focused on mechanisms for the connection between diabetes or disturbed glucose metabolism and cardiovascular disease. Moreover the group is interested in new treatment modalities for glucose control in patients with cardiovascular disease. Research regarding the connection between heart failure and diabetes is also on the agenda.
The research is of clinical importance considering the still unfavourable prognosis among patients with glucose abnormalities and myocardial infarction and other manifestations of cardiovascular disease. Improved knowledge on how to handle such patients and on novel treatment modalities and risk factors beyond the traditional, high blood pressure, high blood lipids and smoking is of utmost importance. To detect and manage undetected glucose abnormalities among patients with coronary artery disease is important. In this respect it is also important to gain further knowledge about the prognostic impact of treatment of early glucose normalities as regards cardiovascular risk.
Considering the increasing prevalence of diabetes and the strong relation between this disease and cardiovascular disorders research in the field will have a considerable impact on future practise and also on health economy. Research within the group has already been taken into account in guidelines for the management of patients with diabetes, prediabetes and cardiovascular disease. This is of course rewarding but also encouraging further efforts in even better understanding in this complex field.
Completed PhD project
- Klas Malmberg MD, PhD, Professor of cardiology
- Anna Norhammar MD, PhD
- Åke Tenerz, MD, PhD
- Malgorzata Bartnik, MD, PhD
- Inga Thrainsdottir, MD, PhD
- Matteo Anselmino MD, PhD
- Märit Wallander MD, PhD
- Christina Jarnert MD, PhD
- Linda Mellbin MD, PhD
- Camilla Hage RN, PhD
