The application of epidemiology and informatics to heart failure using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD)

HF is a complex clinical syndrome with different pathophysiological origins. Pre-conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and a range of risk factors include obesity and poor lipid profile, different lifestyle or socio-economic factors such as deprivation as well as healthcare factors. Differences in modifiable factors and aetiology of heart failure among population groups have important implications for primary and secondary prevention strategies. Early interventions that target the most relevant risk factors may need to be tailored to individual groups to reduce the burden of HF. The life course of HF development from individual risk factors to aetiological mechanisms to heart failure, may change over time as social and population contexts change and these changes may differ by socio-demographic groups and gender and the interventions experienced.

Before the diagnosis of new heart failure (HF), many patients will be on cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular drugs that are important both in the prevention as well as in the treatment of subsequent HF. There are a range of factors which may influence how patients present with a new diagnosis and the critical questions are whether medications influence the likely HF diagnosis and what the potential opportunities for optimising subsequent HF management are. The project will utilise the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) which is a national epidemiological database that links primary care records to other data such as hospital and death data. The project is aligned with informatics developments.

Entry requirements

UK Bachelor Degree with at least 2:1 in a relevant subject or overseas equivalent.

University of Leicester English language requirements apply.

Enquiries
Prof. Umesh Kadam ([Email Address Removed]) & Dr Claire Lawson ([Email Address Removed])

How to apply
Please follow the application instructions at
https://le.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/funded-opportunities/cls-health-sciences-kadam-2020

Within the application, please indicate that you wish to be considered for a CLS 2020 studentship and include the project title and project supervisors.

Eligibility
UK Bachelor Degree with at least 2:1 in a relevant subject area or overseas equivalent.

University of Leicester English language requirements apply (where applicable) https://le.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/entry-reqs/eng-lang-reqs/ielts-70

This project is available for UK/EU applicants only