Pulmonary Vascular Disease is a term that encompasses any disease that affects the blood vessels of the lungs (the pulmonary circulation). One of the most common pulmonary vascular diseases is pulmonary arterial hypertension, or PAH. PAH is a devastating group of diseases associated with high morbidity and mortality, affecting 1% of the population. The high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries can cause the vessel walls to become stiff, reduce the flow of blood to the lungs and weaken the right side of the heart. PAH can eventually lead to heart failure, a long-term condition that tends to worsen over time. Anyone can be affected by PAH, but it is more common when another heart or lung condition is present.

Our aims

The aims of the NIHR Sheffield BRC research into pulmonary vascular disease are to identify new treatment options, show how remote monitoring can be used in clinical studies and develop cutting-edge cardiopulmonary imaging techniques that can be translated into the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of disease. 

We are working to expand our PAH patient cohort with biobanked samples and implanted remote monitoring devices to generate a new molecular classification of PAH via the collation of healthcare, genomics and personal monitoring data. This will facilitate efficient clinical trial design and more rapid health gains for people with PAH. Our research outputs will support phase 3 studies of new drugs, more effective targeting and the personalisation of current treatment options, including through the use of implantable pulmonary artery pressure monitors for remote monitoring. These studies have the potential to reduce the morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular diseases in areas of high prevalence, including South Yorkshire.