Sivabaskari Pasupathy

Biography

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. In 2012, CVD accounted for 523,805 hospitalisations in Australia and was reported as the leading cause of death among Australians. CVD is a collective term used for heart and blood vessel related diseases. My research involves investigating various areas of CVD, primarily novel clinical aspects of myocardial infarction (heart attack). Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) Research Most Heart attacks (Myocardial Infarct or MI) are associated with a blockage of the coronary arteries. Over the past 50 years, remarkable progress in the treatment of MI has evolved by focusing on reperfusion strategies to open the artery by stenting the responsible cholesterol blockage. However, in 11% of acute MI presentations there are no significant cholesterol blockages so that the cause and treatment of the MI is unclear, with some clinicians claiming these are not ‘true MI’. The term MINOCA was coined in 2013 by Prof John Beltrame and the interest in this area has increased after the landmark article by Pasupathy et al. This recently identified syndrome is an emerging topic of interest and included in 2017 ESC guidelines. My research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of MINOCA patients. Specifically: Clinical characteristics of MINOCA patients Appropriate diagnostic tests to evaluate the underlying pathophysiology of MINOCA Health status and Quality of life scores in MINOCA patients following the first presentation Clinical predictors of post-infarct angina in MINOCA patients. N-acetylcysteine in Acute Myocardial Infarction (NACIAM) Trial In acute MI patients with a blocked coronary artery, the final myocardial damage (infarct size) is an important determinant of clinical outcomes. Existing research studies indicate limiting the infarct size improves long term clinical outcomes of MI patients. Utilising a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial design, Prof Beltrame lead the NACIAM trial investigating the utility of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) together with glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) in STEMI patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The NACIAM trial results demonstrated that reduced the final infarct size compared to placebo and GTN, as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. The results from this trial was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress as a late breaking clinical trial. I aim to evaluate the mechanism of the observed benefit and the impact of the treatment in long-term clinical outcomes.

Research Interest

Medicine,Medical Education,Research,etc