Professor
Michael Frenneaux
BHF Chair of Cardiovascular
Medicine
University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth
Hospital
Professor Frenneaux’s research takes theory gained from
laboratory studies into clinical research for the benefit of
patients.
Heart Failure
Professor Frenneaux and the Birmingham team are assessing the
potential of a medicine, perhexiline, to improve the symptoms and
prognosis for people with heart failure. With perhexiline,
Frenneaux is targeting what he believes is the underlying cause of
the condition – use of an inefficient fuel source by the heart
muscle.
Preliminary results have been promising and it is hoped
perhexiline could be trialled on more heart failure patients in
future.
Professor Frenneaux is assessing how a special
type of pacemaker, Biventricular Pacing, can reduce symptoms in
some patients with heart failure. He hopes to be able to direct
better selection of patients to ensure doctors can identify those
that are likely to benefit from this form of therapy.
The team is also involved in research into the
factors responsible for the control of vein function in heart
failure, and exploring a particular form of the condition (with
normal pumping of the left ventricle) to help us understand how and
why some patients develop it.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Frenneaux is also interested in this inherited disease of the
heart muscle. His research aims to understand some of the
biological effects of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and
discover new effective therapies to treat the condition, which can
be life-threatening.
Unravelling why patients can suffer low blood pressure and
fainting, Frenneaux is exploring abnormalities in the control of
blood vessel diameter in HCM. He is also investigating how
medicines might improve blood pressure problems in HCM.
Widening the heart failure studies, Frenneaux
is assessing the potential role of biventricular and left
ventricular pacing as a therapeutic strategy in HCM.
Depression
Sufferers of depression have an increased risk of heart and
circulatory disease. Professor Frenneaux is carrying out studies to
explain the link and work toward reducing the risk for people with
mental health issues.
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