The British Heart Foundation is paying tribute to Professor David Taggart, who has sadly died.
Professor Taggart held the position of Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford.
He led several BHF grants during his career. Most notably, he was principal investigator of the Arterial Revascularisation Trial (ART) trial which we funded in partnership with the Medical Research Council and the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Investigating a new approach
The trial investigated whether an alternative approach to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery led to better long-term outcomes for patients.
The study found that using two arteries from the chest didn’t seem to improve survival or the risk of heart attack and stroke at one, five or 10 years after treatment. But it raised the possibility that any two arterial grafts (from the chest or arm) may provide better outcomes than a single arterial graft for patients undergoing this surgery.
The results of the 10-year follow up study are cited in international guidelines on coronary artery revascularisation – surgery to restore blood flow to blocked heart arteries. Most recently, researchers have continued to follow patients in the trial until 15 years after their surgery.
A major scientific force
Professor Bryan Williams, our Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, said: “Professor David Taggart was an outstanding clinician and a major scientific force in the field of coronary artery surgery. His work was guided by a desire to ensure that clinical practice was grounded in the best available evidence, which in turn resulted in major improvements in the treatment that patients received. We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.”
