INOCA 2025: Advancing Understanding of Ischaemic Heart Disease Without obstructive Lesions
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INOCA represents a critical and emerging frontier in cardiovascular medicine, revealing the complexity of myocardial ischaemia beyond conventional models focused on obstructive coronary disease. The 2025 meeting will serve as a vital forum for clinicians, scientists, industry partners, and regulators to advance the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of this under-recognised condition, drawing on international expertise to address a pressing clinical challenge.
The NIHR-BHF Cardiovascular Partnership brings together academia, clinical researchers, charities, and industry stakeholders to accelerate translational research, foster innovation, and drive meaningful improvements in patient care. It actively supports collaborative projects targeting unmet needs across the cardiovascular spectrum, ensuring rapid translation of discoveries from bench to bedside.
A dedicated microvascular disease workstream within the Partnership, lead by Professors Divaka Perera and Amedeo Chiribiri of King’s College London, plays a central role in advancing research and innovation in coronary microvascular dysfunction-one of the central themes of INOCA 2025.
The NIHR HealthTech Research Center (HRC) in Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine, under the leadership of Professor chiribiri (Director) and Professor Perera (Theme Lead for Cardiovascular Diseases in Adults), is committed to addressing major challenges in cardiovascular and respiratory health. Hosted by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London, the HRC is a collaborative research hub that integrates state-of-the-art scientific finding with clinical expertise and strong industry engagement.
The HRC works closely with the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering (LIHE), which plays a key role in facilitating partnerships with industry and supporting the co-development of innovative technologies.
By supporting INOCA 2025, thes collaborative initiatives reaffirm their commitment to addressing complex and frequently enough overlooked cardiovascular conditions, ensuring that cutting-edge science is translated into tangible improvements in care for patients living with ischaemic heart disease without obstructive coronary lesions.
Understanding INOCA and Microvascular Disease
Ischaemic heart disease, traditionally associated with blocked coronary arteries, is increasingly recognized to manifest even in the absence of such obstructions. This phenomenon,known as INOCA (Ischaemia with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries),highlights the crucial role of the coronary microvasculature – the smallest blood vessels in the heart. Dysfunction within these microvessels can lead to reduced blood flow and ischaemia,causing symptoms similar to traditional heart disease but posing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Research into INOCA is relatively new, and its prevalence is still being persistent. However, it is believed to affect a notable number of patients, notably women. The NIHR-BHF Cardiovascular Partnership and the NIHR HRC are at the forefront of efforts to improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms of microvascular disease and develop effective treatments.
Frequently Asked Questions about INOCA
- What is INOCA, and how does it differ from traditional heart disease?
- INOCA, or Ischaemia with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries, refers to heart disease symptoms caused by reduced blood flow despite the absence of significant blockages in the major coronary arteries. Traditional heart disease typically involves blockages that restrict blood supply.
- What are the common symptoms of INOCA?
- Symptoms of INOCA can mimic those of traditional heart disease, including chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, fatigue, and palpitations. However, the symptoms may be less predictable and more diffuse.
- How is INOCA diagnosed if standard tests are normal?
- Diagnosing INOCA often requires specialized tests that assess microvascular function, such as invasive coronary reactivity testing or non-invasive imaging techniques like cardiac MRI. These tests evaluate the ability of the small blood vessels to dilate and respond to stress.
- What treatments are available for patients with INOCA?
- Treatment for INOCA focuses on managing symptoms and improving microvascular function. This may involve lifestyle modifications, medications to improve blood flow, and cardiac rehabilitation. research is ongoing to identify more targeted therapies.
- Why is research into INOCA so crucial?
- Research into INOCA is crucial as it represents a significant unmet need in
