Researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast are hoping this year’s National Heart Week starting Sunday 29 April will encourage people to step up their physical activity and get behind some local cardiovascular health studies.
USC’s VasoActive research team also seeks participants – both healthy and those with cardiovascular disease – for a number of studieson heart and cardiovascular health.
The group requires volunteers aged 55 and over, or of any age if they have cardiovascular disease, for research into:
• Assessing the benefits of exercise on peripheral arterial disease
• Understanding the effect of heart and vascular diseases on brain health, cognitive function and the risk of dementia
• Determining why diabetes might increase the risk of cardiovascular events
• Assessing the effect of dietary supplements, like beetroot juice and omega 3 fish oils, on cardiovascular function.
Associate Professor Chris Askew said they knew exercise was beneficial and were investigating how exercise works and how to get people to be more active.
He said participants in a typical project would only be required to make 1-2 visits to a laboratory at either USC’s main campus at Sippy Downs or at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital at Birtinya.
To take part in the research register at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/vasoactive
