Big meals and blow-ups study into heart attack triggers A heavy Christmas lunch. An argument. Smoke from a bushfire. These everyday and receive stress-reduction advice—can help prevent cardiac events.
events may seem harmless, but for people at risk of heart disease, they could be deadly. A new study is investigating not only how emotional stress, pollution, respiratory infections, and large meals can trigger heart attacks in vulnerable individuals but also how to manage those triggers in the moment. The Triggered Acute Risk Prevention (TARP) study, led by Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) cardiologist Professor Geoffrey Tofler, is recruiting people to test whether taking aspirin or beta blockers at the time of a trigger—while using an app to log symptoms
Geoffrey, who has researched heart attacks for close to 40 years, says the science tells us that some heart attacks aren’t random. “If people are aware of the triggers, there’s something they can do about them,” said Geoffrey. The TARP team is looking for 120 people aged 40 years and over to join a seven-month study at RNSH, North Shore Private (NSP) and Westmead hospitals. Participants must have at least two risk factors for heart disease (such as high cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking or diabetes) or known heart disease.
Frocktober celebrations at Ryde Hospital
Frocktober fundraiser honours Fiona’s legacy Staff at Ryde and Royal North Shore hospitals have shown their support for ovarian cancer research, raising more than $4,000 through Fiona’s Frocktober 2025 fundraiser.
“Wearing colour brought smiles to our faces and lifted spirits at such a sad time. Fiona would have loved nothing more.” A total of $3,859 was raised through local activities, with an additional $570 contributed to Fiona’s memorial fund page, bringing the overall total to $4,429. Lisa said the fundraiser will now become an annual event and thanked colleagues for getting behind the initiative. “We’re hoping to make this an ongoing initiative to continue raising awareness and funds each October, and I would like to thank everyone for their generosity and kindness in Fiona’s memory,” she said. The fundraiser will run until the end of November and donations can be made here: https://bit.ly/Fiona-Frocktober.
The initiative, coordinated by Ryde Hospital Change Manager Lisa Steele, was held in memory of much-loved colleague Fiona Thorn, with proceeds going to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation to support research into early detection of the “silent killer” disease. Lisa said the team was overwhelmed by the generosity of staff, with donations ranging from $5 to $500. “Fiona has left a huge legacy behind her. She was and is well loved for the beautiful person that she was,” she said.
6
NSLHD NEWS | ISSUE 20| 31 OCTOBER 2025
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online