Study Description/Purpose
Heart attacks are a leading cause of death in Australia. Many occur suddenly, and it may be the first time someone discovers they have heart disease. While heart attacks tend to mainly occur in the elderly, the underlying heart disease often starts decades beforehand. Understanding what triggers disease development will lead to earlier and more targeted preventative treatment for individuals.
Lipids are fat-like substances found in your blood and body tissues. Your body needs small amounts of lipids to work normally. However, a key risk factor for heart disease is altered lipid levels, such as high cholesterol. Altered lipid levels are more common than appreciated as they often go undetected and can occur in individuals who are generally healthy, including young adults.
The Lipid Study researchers propose that one way lipids may promote heart disease is by impacting the immune system. In this study, researchers want to understand whether high levels of blood lipids (such as cholesterol) cause key immune cells circulating in the blood to become inflammatory.
What’s Involved?
Participants will:
- Have a blood sample(s) taken (which will be used to assess blood chemistry and immune cell function)
- Answer questions related to general personal information (such as age and gender) and medical history
- Have physical characteristics (e.g. height, weight and blood pressure) measured
Eligible participants will be required to travel to Westmead Hospital in Sydney, NSW for this study. They will be reimbursed for any reasonable public transport or parking expense associated with the research study. Participants will also be provided with a copy of their blood chemistry results.
