St Vincent’s Hospital is a national and international referral centre for heart-lung patients. It was the site of the first heart and heart-lung transplant unit in Australia and remains a leading centre for advanced cardio-thoracic surgery, including heart and lung transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, high-risk conventional cardiac surgery, and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy.
The Heart Lung Clinical Stream engages in cutting-edge research, including multicentre clinical trials of new therapies in heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and post-transplant immunosuppression. The team’s research is focused on a number of clinical areas.
Thoracic Medicine
The Thoracic Medicine Team is involved in local, national and international studies ranging from early-phase scientific research to very large pharmaceutical trials. Particular areas of research include pulmonary fibrosis, Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, post-lung transplant immunosuppression, chronic rejection treatment therapies, and pre-lung transplant lung preservation.
By participating in these clinical trials, patients gain access to the most up-to-date treatment approaches, including non-transplant options.
Heart Failure & Mechanical Circulatory Support
The heart failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) team is involved in clinical trials of approved and investigational devices. Further information about the team’s research can be found on their program page.
Cardiology
Cardiology clinical trials largely focus on studying pharmaceutical drugs and their impact on various heart conditions. Patients involved in these trials include those who have had a previous heart attack or those with heart failure.
The team collaborates with the University of Sydney and The University of New South Wales, the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, the George Institute for Global Health, and pharmaceutical companies. The team’s research also receives Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and NHMRC support.
Pulmonary hypertensionÂ
There are a number of clinical trials being led by the Pulmonary Hypertension team in this area. These primarily focus on randomised controlled trials assessing the impact of pharmaceutical drugs on patients with Pulmonary Hypertension.
Other Clinical Trials areas include:
- Interventional cardiology
- Heart lung transplantation
- Structural Heart Disease Program
- Infiltrative Cardiomyopathies
- Genetic Heart Disease
- Women’s Heart Disease
Hear about the impact of our research and care in the heart lung stream here.