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Diners Club Australia and the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) has awarded $15,000 to a Melbourne specialist team from St Vincent’s Hospital to fund research that will potentially revolutionise the treatment of diabetic patients undergoing heart surgery.

 Dr Brad LaFerlita and Dr Roman Kluger are specialist anaesthetists at St Vincent’s Hospital and the recipients of the grant.

“In Australia, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) affects over 700,000 people. Heart disease is a major health issue for NIDDM patients and is responsible for 52% of all deaths of NIDDM patients,” says Dr LaFerlita. “Up to 40% of patients presenting for coronary artery bypass surgery at St Vincent’s are diabetic and with evidence showing that diabetic patients are at higher risk of myocardial damage and/or complications following heart surgery.”

The research project focuses on the use of two anaesthetic agents, propofol and sevoflurane, commonly used to provide general anaesthesia while a patient is on cardio pulmonary bypass (CPB). The research study looks into the sole use of propofol for NIDDM patients on CPB.

“We hope to prove that when propofol is used as a sole agent, it provides superior cardioprotection for NIDDM patients, effectively reducing the risk of complications and resulting in less myocardial damage while they are on CPB,” says Dr LaFerlita. The project is expected to take around 9 months and Dr LaFerlita anticipates the project results will be published in 18 months to 2 years time.

“If our hypothesis is correct…then these findings could revolutionise the way diabetic heart surgery patients are medicated in the future,” says Dr LaFerlita.