Centre for Cardiovascular Medicine (IH)

Centre for Cardiovascular Medicine at Tallinn University of Technology is one structural unit of Department of Health Technologies. The Centre is engaged in teaching on master and doctoral levels.

The mission of Centre for Cardiovascular Medicine is to act as a leading institution within the field of technologies in cardiovascular medicine in Estonia, to be a partner in the world, which carries out high level research and high-quality teaching at various levels.

The activities and competence of the Centre:

• Research and development of novel technologies in cardiovascular medicine
• Development of the cardiovascular medical engineering
• Clinical application of novel technologies in the field of cardiovascular medicine

Main research topics of the Centre for Cardiovascular Medicine:

• Early atherosclerosis and development of novel technologies and devices
• Genetics of arterial hypertension
• Hemodynamics of  resistant hypertension and development of novel methods in guiding of drug treatment
• Cardiovascular risk assessment and management
• Diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia
• Antioxydative studies in heart diseases and diabetes patients
• Clinical application of novel technologies in the field of cardiovascular medicine

 Collaboration of the Centre for Cardiovascular Medicine:

• North Estonia Medical Centre
• Tartu University Hospital
• University of Tartu
• Imperial College London
• Lund University (Sweden)
• Paris Descartes University Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou
• Russian Cardiology Centre, Moscow

Head of the research group: Professor MARGUS VIIGIMAA, margus.viigimaa@taltech.ee
Members: Kalju Meigas, Sergei Nazarenko, Katrin Gross-Paju, Kristjan Pilt, Tiina Titma
Doctoral students: Ardo Allik, Sandra Einstein, Kristina Kööts, Juhan Reimand, Grete Talviste, Jüri Teras, Galina Zemtsovskaja

Topics and Competences
Keywords: hypertension, atherosclerosis, technologies, diagnosis, treatment

The group members participate in the joint research project with the North Estonia Medical Centre “Novel technologies in the diagnostics and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia” (2017-2020). The research is focused on non-invasive diagnostics of atherosclerosis and studies of novel treatment methods in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.
In the RITA1/01-42-02 "Clinical pilot projects of personalised medicine in the precise prevention of breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases (2018−2020)" personalised medicine in cardiovascular primary prevention is studied.

Internationally recognised research results:
The group is one of the five centres in the international study BEAUTY (Better control of BP in hypertensive patients monitored Using the HOTMANsYstem). The patients with uncontrolled hypertension were monitored in European Hypertension Excellence centres. Noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring associated with a drug selection algorithm induced bigger reductions in home blood pressure compared with conventional drug selection in uncontrolled hypertensive patients. Moreover, the number of adverse events was significantly lower in IHM than in controls.

Professor Viigimaa is actively involved in the work of several associations: head of the European Hypertension Excellence Centre, lead investigator in the European Atherosclerosis Society Familial Hypercholesterolemia Studies Collaboration, Chairman of the European Society of Hypertension working group ”Hypertension and sexual dysfunction“.

Selected articles:

• Sammul, S.; Jensen-Urstad, M.; Johansson, J.; Lenhoff, H.; Viigimaa, M. (2019). Psychosocial Factors and Personality Traits and the Prevalence of Arterial Hypertension Among 35- and 55-Year-Old Men and Women in Sweden and Estonia: a SWESTONIA Longitudinal Study. High Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Prevention: The Official Journal of The Italian Society of Hypertension, 26 (6), 475−482.
• Banach, M.; Bruckert, E.; Descamps, O. S.; Ellegård, L.; Viigimaa, M.; et al. (2019). The role of red yeast rice (RYR) supplementation in plasma cholesterol control: A review and expert opinion. Atherosclerosis. Supplements, 39, e1−e8.
• Einstein, Sandra; Pilt, Kristjan; Palmar, Merlin; Meigas, Kalju; Viigimaa, Margus (2019). Aortic Augmentation Index is Dependent on Bodyside in Healthy Young Subjects. High Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Prevention, 26 (5), 375−382.
• Viigimaa, M.; Sachinidis, A.; Toumpourleka, M.; Koutsampasopoulos, K.; Alliksoo, S.; Titma, T. (2020). Macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Current Vascular Pharmacology, 18 (2), 110−116.