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Information for Professionals – StopHF

  • Information
    for Professionals

About STOPHF and NP Blood Tests

The STOP-HF Screening Programme was started in 2004 as a research project with two major aims. Firstly, to assess if people with risk factors for heart failure, whereby the muscle of the heart does not work as well as it should do, could have their risk better defined by the use of a blood test known as Natriuretic Peptide (NP), in particular, the BNP subtype (B-Type Natriuretic Peptide). BNP is a protein that is released from the heart when it is under stress or strain. Secondly, to determine if a structured intervention programme could reduce the development of heart failure in high risk groups.

The STOPHF study has now been included as a novel approach to cardiovascular prevention in joint guidelines from the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America.  

The STOP HF study had previously won the Research Paper of the Year Award from the Royal College of General Practitioners and was incorporated into guidelines from the Canadian Cardiovascular Society in 2016. It was published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association in 2013.

Get Your Clinic / Practice Involved

For more info please Contact Rosemary at:

Stop HF Screening Service
3rd Floor The Annex
St Michaels Hospital
Dun Laoghaire
Co Dublin

Phone – 012713072
Fax – 012713070
or email info@heartbeat-trust.org

Ongoing Research

We conduct numerous basic science studies and clinical trials. If you are interested in getting involved please contact Ciara @ heartbeat-trust.org or info@heartbeat-trust.org.

At present we are recruiting for the Parable clinical trial

If you would like to find out more about our Parable clinical trials, click on one of these links to read our informational brochures:

For a list of our publications please click here

Patient Testimonials

Some words from our patients:

“It is indeed so very reassuring to know that we have excellent doctors such as Prof McDonald and his team working on our behalf.’”

“As a spouse of a stroke survivor, tonight talks made me more aware of the actions I need to take for my own health as well as that of my husbands.”

“I find the process reassuring and the people involved in STOPHF very kind and helpful”

“I feel secure in the knowledge that I am being monitored. Beneficial in having ongoing advice etc.”

“Because of the thoroughness of the annual checks I was kept aware of my medical condition”

“While on the research programme it was discovered I had too much hormone. Then I was sent to the Endocrinology team in SVUH for many tests. I was diagnosed to have a growth in my pituitary and acromegaly. I had surgery in Beaumont Hospital to remove the growth. I am so grateful to the Heartbeat Trust for finding this and sending me to have it researched and treated.

“Lovely people. Great work over many years which will clearly help our nation. Thank you for your information”

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