VA Medical Center’s Morrison to study heart valves

PROVIDENCE – Dr. Alan Morrison, a cardiologist at the Providence VA Medical Center, was recently awarded $50,000 through Ocean State Research Institute for a one-year pilot project studying aortic heart valves’ thickening and hardening.

Morrison, who is also an assistant professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, said his team’s long-term goal is to develop new treatments to improve the survival rate and quality of life for veterans with calcific aortic valve disease.

The leading cause of death for U.S. veterans, coronary heart disease arises from a buildup of cholesterol-laden plaque, which can become calcified and lead to an increased risk of heart attack or death.

Noting that previous research identified some key inflammatory signals associated with the calcification of plaque in veterans’ hearts, Morrison said in a statement: “It turns out that, as we inhibited the calcification of plaques, we also slowed aortic valve thickening and hardening. We hope to apply what we’ve learned to develop effective treatments for aortic stenosis.”

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Calcific aortic stenosis is a heart valve disease that causes gradual thickening and narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve. Currently, no known therapy exists to slow or prevent this process in affected patients.

“This is an exciting example of the kind of research we are doing here,” said Dr. Susan MacKenzie, director of the Providence VA Medical Center. “Research like this may not only help us provide the exceptional care veterans have earned, but could benefit the general population, as well.”

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