Page 51 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Hypertension and
Cardiovascular Disease

Research Unit

Unit director:
Prof. Marlien Pieters
marlien.pieters@nwu.ac.za

Advancing Research Priorities: in terms of HIV and CVD and; to address the health
Strategic Objectives and Impact implications of the high burden of CVD due to
poor awareness and late diagnosis. This enables
The aim of the Hypertension and Cardiovascular us to generate new knowledge across the disease
Disease Research Unit is to directly contribute to new spectrum, from early pathophysiological changes
clinical and epidemiological knowledge within the to advanced stages of CVD development and to
field of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in different contribute towards improved population-based
population groups in South Africa to alleviate the CVD prevention, as well as better treatment and
CVD burden by facilitating more effective awareness, care for South Africans.
treatment, and prevention programmes in the future.

We use the latest technology such as polyomics Key Milestones and Achievements
and advanced cardiovascular phenotyping in pro- Members from the EMU took part in the 2022 National
spective epidemiological as well as implementation Dietary Intake Survey (NDIS2022) that was initiated
research projects. We aim to contribute to original by the National Department of Health. The NDIS2022
cardiovascular profiling of all South Africans. With investigated the nutritional status of South Africans
a shift from addressing mainly CVD in the elderly, through dietary intake and anthropometry data
the EMU has initiated strategies to focus on collection, analysis, and evaluation. The NDIS2022
preventive cardiology, namely; to focus on the early will inform the Draft Prevention and Management
development of CVD risk factors such as raised Strategy of Obesity, the Health Promotion Levy,
blood pressure and early vascular aging in children the School Feeding Programme, to be used in the
and young adults; to focus on the unique disease regulation to prohibit the marketing of unhealthy
profile of South Africans affected by co-morbidities foods to children.

May Measure Month.

SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2024-25 49