Alberta Innovates- Health Solutions

(Edmonton, AB) Tuesday May 04, 2004... Vascular conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart, and kidney diseases affect millions of Canadians and thousands of Albertans. Just ask Dolores Macfarlane. Six years ago, Dolores was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and given six months to live. She came under the care of Dr. Finlay McAlister and an integrated team of caregivers at the University of Alberta Hospital. Today she has resumed her normal life with its many social activities. And she continues to be under the watchful care of Dr. McAlister and the Heart Function Clinic team.

Dr. McAlister and a team of researchers at the Universities of Alberta and Calgary have been awarded nearly $900,000 over the next three years. The goal of their research program will be to improve the quality of care for thousands of patients like Dolores, suffering from stroke, heart and kidney diseases. This research project is a new Alberta Heritage for Medical Research (AHFMR) funding initiative called Programs in Health Services Research.

What: Media opportunity to interview Dr. Finlay McAlister and recovering heart disease patient Ms. Dolores MacFarlane
When: Tuesday May 04, 2004
Time: 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon
Where: University of Alberta Hospital: Room - 2D1.06

Please call Dwayne Brunner, AHFMR Communications Coordinator, at (780) 966-1518 in order to arrange an interview.

Backgrounder

• Dr. McAlister is an Alberta Heritage for Medical Research (AHFMR) population health investigator and associate professor of General Internal Medicine at the University of Alberta.
• Every day 20 medical abstracts and scientific journal studies are published globally - making a daunting task for health care providers to read, understand, and implement the latest research discoveries.
• Over one third of all deaths (36%) are due to cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke).
• More women (37%) than men (35%) die of heart disease and stroke.
• Heart disease and stroke cost the Canadian economy $18.5 billion.
• Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada. Each year about 16,000 Canadians die from stroke.
• Over one million people in Canada (83,000 Albertans) are currently living with diabetes.
• If left untreated, diabetes can cause heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease, impotency, and nerve damage
• Vascular diseases include: peripheral arterial disease (PAD), carotid artery disease, and aortic aneurysms.
• Atherosclerosis is the process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This build-up is called plaque. It usually affects large and mediums sized arteries. Some hardening of arteries occurs when people grow older. Atherosclerosis can be caused by elevated levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in the blood, high blood pressure, and smoking.
• Dr. McAlister's project is funded by Programs in Health Services Research. This program is administered by AHFMR on behalf of Alberta Health and Wellness. There are multiple Co-Investigators and decision makers collaborating with Dr. McAlister including: Dr. Braden Manns U/C, Dr. Jeffrey Johnson U/A, Dr. Ross Tsuyuki U/A, Dr. Sumit Majumdar U/A, Dr. Bruce Culleton U/C, Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn U/C, Dr. Ken Taub, U/C, Dr. Kevin McLaughlin U/C, Dr. Marcello Tonelli U/A, Dr. Neil Drummond U/C, Dr. William Ghali U/C, Dr. Alexander Clark U/A, Dr. Richard Lewanczuk U/A, Dr. Scot Simpson IHE, Dr. Michael Hill, U/C, Dr. Thomas Jeerakathil U/A, Dr. Glen Pearson U/A, Dr. Sara Davison, U/A, Debbie Gordon CHA, Dr. Peter Norton U/C, Peter Sargious CRHA, Marianne Stewart CHA, Susan Paul CHA, Tom Feasby CHA, and Dev Menon IHE.
• The Programs in Health Services Research builds on the activities of the existing Health Research Fund and the State of the Science Reviews programs. The Programs in Health Services Research are intended to fund research in priority areas of: Continuum of Care and Delivery Models; Governance and Accountability; Financing and Public Expectations; or Information Technology and Information Management for the Improvement of Health.
• Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) currently provides funding for over 600 researchers and researchers in training at the Province's three main universities. The foundation supports a community of researchers who generate knowledge that improves the health and quality of life of Albertans and people throughout the world. AHFMR's commitment is to fund health research based on international standards of excellence and carried out by new and established investigators and researchers in training. Total AHFMR funding over 24 years is in excess of $750 million. For more information, visit www.ahfmr.ab.ca