You’re confused, you’re overwhelmed, and you may be asking yourself why? That’s the question on our minds, too:
Premature
Occurring before the usual time. In this case, males 50 years and younger and women 55 years and younger.
Atherosclerotic
Build-up of plaque in the arteries.
Cardiovascular disease
Narrowing or hardening of the vessels in the heart that can lead to heart attack, chest pain (angina), or other serious heart conditions.
Why are people developing atherosclerotic CVD at such a young age?
And why are their close relatives up to 10x more likely to develop atherosclerotic CVD?
At SAVE BC, we believe that every diagnosis of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease can help us uncover the answer we’re searching for.
SAVE BC is a unique program designed to identify, screen, treat and study patients and families with premature atherosclerotic CVD.
The program is an important step towards a safer future for those at risk for cardiovascular diseases. To effectively take that step, we need your participation.
It all starts when you are diagnosed with premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. If you are eligible, a SAVE BC research coordinator will contact you to discuss the option of enrolling in the program. If you agree to participate, you will be asked to provide written consent.
Before clinical visits, the name of your family physician is required to obtain a referral to the program.
Reaching out to your relatives is both an important step for our study and your family's health. Despite the hereditary nature of premature atherosclerotic CVD, BC does not currently have a formal program for identifying and screening at-risk family members. At this stage, you will be asked to introduce our program to your close relatives. Understanding their risk may help your relative delay or prevent a cardiovascular event in the future. Your relatives' participation also plays an important role in understanding the genetics of premature atherosclerotic CVD.
To get your family involved, start by sending them a SAVE BC information package.
SEND ME THE PACKAGEAs a participant, you will be asked to attend clinical visits once a year. Additionally, each family member will have their atherosclerotic CVD risk evaluated; those at high-risk will have annual clinic visits, whereas those at lower risk will be seen in clinic once every three years.
Finally, SAVE BC specialists will review your results and provide appropriate recommendations for screening, clinical management and treatment.