Research Timeline - today and the future

Will genetics unlock the secrets of heart disease?

One of the new areas BHF is currently funding is genetic research.

Researchers' understanding of genetics has grown rapidly in the last few years and this has already helped us discover more about an individual's risk of heart problems.

Our growing understanding of genetics could one day help doctors not only predict heart disease but also tailor treatments to suit individual needs.

New approaches to heart surgery

Findings so far suggest that patients undergoing keyhole and port access cardiac surgery make a speedier recovery.

This is a technique which may in certain circumstances offer an alternative to standard coronary artery bypass surgery.

Surgery may be performed on the beating heart, involving small or large incisions, and may therefore avoid the use of a heart/lung bypass machine.

Got any questions about this page?