CALGARY - A research program is being launched in Alberta that will focus on better diagnosis and treatment of heart failure.
The program will seek out Albertans who suffer from cardiac trouble to take part in clinical research on a type of condition that occurs when the heart fails to relax properly between beats.
Dr. Todd Anderson, a professor of medicine at the University of Calgary and the program's co-leader, says researchers are looking for 1,000 volunteers for clinical tests or other research-related work.
Funding for the research is coming from different sources, including a five-year commitment from Alberta Health and Wellness for $17.5 million.
About 80,000 people in Alberta have been diagnosed with heart failure.
Across Canada, the figure swells to about 500,000.
?? The Canadian Press, 2010