The RIC-AFRICA Study aims to assess whether Remote Ischaemic Conditioning (RIC) can improve health outcomes for patients with severe heart attacks (high-risk ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)) in Sub-Saharan Africa who are treated with thrombolytic therapy. This intervention is low-cost and non-invasive; it involves using a blood pressure cuff to induce transient ischaemia in an arm, thereby activating cardioprotective responses.
The study seeks to demonstrate that RIC can reduce cardiac mortality and heart failure in thrombolysis-treated STEMI patients. Additionally, it aims to establish a comprehensive healthcare patient database to better understand patient demographics, risk factors, treatment metrics, and health outcomes across multiple African sites. This data will inform local healthcare policy and priorities.
The initiative involves collaboration between hospitals, and research teams across South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, and Mauritius. The project is coordinated by the Mayosi Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Cape Town, in partnership with The Hatter Cardiovascular Institute at University College London.
By creating a sustainable cardiovascular research network, training local teams, and developing research capacity, the RIC-AFRICA Study will build a legacy of improvement in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), facilitating future trials to address healthcare challenges in Africa.
