K.G. Jebsen Center for Cardiac Research

Heart failure is a major cause of death in western countries, and the main cause of hospitalization among patients over 65 years in Europe.

Deteriorated filling of the heart (diastolic dysfunction) is the cause of 50% of all heart failures (HF). The main aim of K.G. Jebsen Centre for Cardiac Research is to identify key factors responsible for diastolic dysfunction.

Diastolic dysfunction
Traditionally, heart failure is associated with reduced pumping capacity of the heart. However, deteriorated filling of the heart, known as diastolic dysfunction, has recently been acknowledged as a prominent cause of HF, accounting for nearly 50% of all cases.

Diastolic dysfunction is linked to increased stiffness of the myocardium, and is highly relevant in patients with for instance aortic stenosis, hypertension, diabetes and cardiomyopathies.

There is currently no effective medical treatment for diastolic dysfunction. This suggests that important pathological mechanisms remain unknown. Our primary objective is therefore to identify the key mechanisms underlying diastolic dysfunction.

Organization
K.G. Jebsen Centre for Cardiac Research is directed by Professor Ivar Sjaastad. The centre comprises six research groups at University of Oslo; of which three are located at Ullevål Hospital, two at Rikshospitalet and one at Radiumhospitalet.