Characterizing autonomic dysfunction in amyloidosis
Thursday, October 24, 2024

Jacquie Baker, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Cardiac Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. She is also the recipient of the CCS-Pfizer ATTR-CM 2023 Research Fellowship Award. We sat down with Jacquie to learn more about her project and how she is hoping to advance care for amyloidosis patients.

Can you summarize what you are studying and what you hope to learn?
I am studying autonomic health in patients with amyloidosis. The goal of the project is to characterize autonomic nervous system health across various types of amyloidosis.

What is autonomic health? And why is important in patients with amyloidosis?
The autonomic ‘automatic’ nervous system controls everything in our bodies that happens automatically.  If a person’s autonomic nervous system becomes impaired, their bodies can no longer control simple things like their heart rate and blood pressure. For individuals, this means that when they stand up their blood pressure drops significantly, causing lightheadedness, dizziness, and even fainting. These symptoms can make simple tasks like standing up, walking, or even just moving around more challenging and potentially dangerous. Patients may experience frequent falls, increased fatigue, limitations in physical activity, and a reduced quality of life. Managing these symptoms and finding ways to adapt to autonomic dysfunction is crucial for patients to maintain their independence and overall well-being.

How might your research improve future patient care? How will patients/caregivers or physicians benefit?
I hope that my work can help improve future patient care by identifying early signs of autonomic involvement in amyloidosis patients, allowing for early intervention and management of symptoms. Patients and caregivers may benefit from improved quality of life and better understanding of their condition, while physicians can use the findings to guide treatment and provide targeted care.

Why are you passionate about this research? What does this grant mean to you personally?
I am passionate about this research because understanding autonomic involvement in amyloidosis can lead to better patient care and improved outcomes. The grant means a lot personally because it provides the opportunity to collaborate with a larger clinic, access a diverse patient population, and build a comprehensive database of autonomic health in amyloidosis.

Is there anything else you want to share?
My research endeavors are dedicated to advancing our understanding of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction and its implications for the cardiovascular health of Canadians. I want to thank CCS and Pfizer for the opportunity to further pursue my research interests/goal and continue to establish myself as an emerging leader in the field of cardiovascular autonomic research.

Pfizer’s Commitment to advancing research and care
We are proud to support researchers like Jacquie and partner with organizations such as the Canadian Cardiovascular Society to advance amyloidosis research. Through our collective efforts, we aim to enhance understanding, improve patient outcomes, and make a positive impact on the lives of amyloidosis patients and their loved ones! For more information on amyloidosis, please visit: Canadian Cardiovascular Society (ccs.ca)