1

Pioneering techniques

We've brought pioneering techniques to hospitals - from scans that look right inside the heart, to tests like angioplasty which are now routine.

2

Transplant technology

Patients with severe heart failure can now hope for a heart transplant.

3

Survival for children

The number of children who survive being born with a heart defect has turned around - in 1961, only 20 per cent lived to their first birthday. Today that figure is 80 per cent, thanks to procedures such as valve replacement that help them lead improved lives.

4

Exploring genetics

We're getting to the bottom of the genetics of cardiomyopathy.

5

Controlling cholesterol

We've found that high cholesterol can run in families and been a major part of the development of statins to help people control their cholesterol.

6

Family fortunes

Huge scientific studies have proved that heart disease runs in families - and what you can do to help your family if it does. Read more about the family history of heart disease.

7

Busting heart attack causing clots

Heart attack still kills someone every 6 minutes - but that rate used to be much higher. Find out how we helped develop clot-busting drugs, and new research we're doing into chest pain - angina.

8

Extending life

Our research has helped develop medicines that help extend life for heart failure patients, and with the money we raise for our Mending Broken Hearts Appeal we will fund research that will help us rebuild hearts.

9

Safety in numbers

Our work has helped make heart surgery safer, lead to innovative transplant techniques and is working on ways to make recovery quicker and easier.

10

Reducing the burden

Our scientists helped transform pacemakers from a heavy bulky device into one that could fit inside the chest, with no exposed wires. And we're still working on improvements - as well as research that could mean less people need to be fitted with a pacemaker at all.

11

Saving from sudden death

When people are suddenly struck down, seemingly in their prime, it can be very difficult to deal with. Our research into Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome has helped pioneer technology like ICD implants, which can help restore the irregular heartbeat that often preceeds this syndrome.