DCVA supports studies

The Dutch Cardio Vascular Alliance (DCVA) and its partners have set a goal to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease by 25% in 2030. This goal is now more relevant than ever. Given the strong correlation and potentially deadly entanglement of COVID-19 and cardiovascular diseases. The DCVA decided to support these two important initiatives.

What is the true disease severity and patient trajectory of COVID-19 in the general CVD population?
We aim to initiate a new consortium COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease (COVID@HEART) because we believe we should not only mitigate the pandemic of COVID-19 itself, but simultaneously focus on mitigating the burden of COVID-19 on cardiovascular patients now and in the future.
Current information on the correlation of cardiovascular disease and COVID-19 is primarily based upon studies performed in hospital care, while most patients with COVID-19 first experience symptoms while still at home, and fortunately, some of them do not need hospital care.

The aim of this project is to (i) identify risk groups within this population of COVID-19 patients with CVD that will need hospital care in whom not, and (ii) to predict and try to prevent future cardiovascular damage. Data will preferably be collected via a community-based tool linked to analyses of cardiovascular background and cardiovascular complications. This data will be combined with existing CVD-cohorts and the CAPACITY registry. It will help the DCVA to answer research questions like ‘Are CVD patients more vulnerable? And if so, which CVD patient groups? How can we mitigate the cardiovascular risks in these patients? This project aims to expand to a set of related projects in multiple cohorts and regions in the Netherlands.

The DCVA contact persons of COVID@HEART are general practitioners Geert-Jan Geersing and Frans Rutten, and cardiologist Arend Mosterd. Please contact them for collaboration or to share your ideas

Send an email to: G.J.Geersing@umcutrecht.nl, F.H.Rutten@umcutrecht.nl or A.Mosterd@meandermc.nl

Can the cardiovascular drug Valsartan also aid in the treatment of COVID-19 infection?
The cardiovascular fields joins the quest for an effective treatment for severe covid-19. Radboud UMC cardiologists initiated a placebo controlled randomized trial to study whether the use of an angiotensin receptor blocker (valsartan) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, could lead to a reduction of observed complications, ICU admissions, and deaths. The hypothesis is that this drug reduces the amount of fluid in the lungs. This can relieve the heart from pressure. The researchers aim to include at least 600 patients in 10 to 15 Dutch hospitals. Last week, the research proposal has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of RadboudUMC. The DCVA partner NL-HI funds the study with €50.000 and the Dutch Heart Foundation aids the team in raising more funds for this study.

The initiators are Niels van Royen and Roland van Kimmenade. Please contact them for collaboration or to share your ideas.

Send an email to: roland.vankimmenade@radboudumc.nl or niels.vanroyen@radboudumc.nl

The DCVA facilitates the teams with coordination and communication (press statements).