The team, led by Professor Philip Bath, will study 350 stroke patients over a three year period — some of whom will be given the two usual medicines and some of whom will receive the new triple combination — to discover whether their recovery is improved by the inclusion of clopidogrel.
Professor Bath said: “Paraphrasing from Animal Farm, if two drugs are good then three might be better. If the trial is successful, the drugs are already available and could be introduced very soon and at very little extra cost.”
The research is just one project to be funded through a £3.5 million boost from the BHF for research into the causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the BHF said: “Thanks to the generous support from fundraisers and volunteers in the East Midlands, we can invest in this top notch heart research.”
“Each project solves a piece of the puzzle of heart and circulatory disease. We urge people to continue donating time and money so that we can find solutions for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the UK’s biggest killer.”
— Ends —
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 70 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THE) World University Rankings.
It provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's "only truly global university", it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation — School of Pharmacy).
Its students are much in demand from 'blue-chip' employers. Winners of Students in Free Enterprise for four years in succession, and current holder of UK Graduate of the Year, they are accomplished artists, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and fundraisers. Nottingham graduates consistently excel in business, the media, the arts and sport. Undergraduate and postgraduate degree completion rates are amongst the highest in the United Kingdom.
The British Heart Foundation
The BHF is leading the battle against heart and circulatory disease — the UK's biggest killer. The charity is a major funder and authority in cardiovascular research. It plays an important role in funding education, both of the public and of health professionals, and in providing life-saving cardiac equipment and support for rehabilitation and patient care.
For more information about the BHF, visit bhf.org.uk or contact Louise Whalley in the BHF Press Office on 020 7487 9440, email whalleyl@bhf.org.uk