Women needed for U of M cardiovascular study

The University of Manitoba, in partnership with the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation, is looking for 1,000 women aged 55 and over, to participate in an important women’s heart health study.

The WARM Hearts study will use cutting-edge, non-invasive techniques to help develop new methods to better identify women who have elevated cardiovascular disease risk.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, heart disease is the leading cause of premature death for women in Canada (five times more than breast cancer), and early heart attack signs were missed in 78 per cent of women.

 “Women are often under-represented in cardiovascular clinical trials, to the point the Heart and Stroke Foundation has put out a call for more research into women’s heart health. This study answers that call,” said Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management Associate Dean of Research, Dr. Todd Duhamel, the team lead on the project.

“Not only will the participants get a sense of their own cardiovascular disease risk, they’ll help their daughters and granddaughters by helping us to establish new methods for early detection and prevention.”

The U of M and St. Boniface Hospital Foundation worked together on a similar project in 2015-2017, the biggest clinical trial ever conducted at St. Boniface Hospital. In one finding, researchers discovered a simple walking test could predict who is 2.8 times more likely to have elevated cardiovascular disease risk.

Any woman living in Manitoba, over the age of 55, with no previous history of cardiovascular disease or stroke and who did not participate in the previous heart study, can take part in the WARM Hearts study.  There are no other limitations to participation.

Participation requires the following:

• Two 90-minute appointments (at U of M Fort Garry campus and St. Boniface Hospital)
• Blood pressure test and short, non-impact, light fitness test
• Wear an accelerometer (step counter) for a few days
• Fasted blood draw
• Collection of a stool sample
• Completion of a questionnaire

 “Participants will receive the results of their tests and lifestyle recommendations related to those findings,” said Dr. Duhamel. “The people who take part in this will come away with valuable information for their own lives, while we collect data that will allow us to help countless women in the future.”

Women interested in participating can email warmheartsresearch@gmail.com or phone 204-480-1815.

Correction notice: a previous version of this article stated that a simple walking test could predict who is 2.8 times more likely to have a heart attack, when in fact the test could predict who is 2.8 times more likely to have elevated cardiovascular disease risk.

*PLEASE NOTE, you must contract the number or email above to participate in this study.  Comments on this post will not get you registered for the study.

Kim Babij