Alena Shantsila

Doctoral Researcher

Contact details

Address
School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

PhD thesis title: Is altered respiratory-sympathetic coupling a pathogenic feature of human hypertension?

Supervisors: Dr James Fisher, Professor Gregory Lip

Alena Shantsila has extensive experience in echocardiography and vascular ultrasonography (carotid, peripheral artery and venous, FMD)

Qualifications

Grodno State Medical Institute, 1999, Doctor in Medicine
Belarusian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, 2007, Specialisation in Ultrasound Diagnostics

Biography

Alena Shantsila came to Birmingham and started to work in the University of Birmingham Centre of Cardiovascular Science in 2008, being supported by the Lancet International Fellowship. She was actively involved in a number of projects run undergoing in the centre. She also participated in the Ethnic-Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening (E-ECHOES) study at the University of Birmingham. In January 2012 she started her work on a BHF funded project in Sportex.

Research

My main research focus is understanding of mechanisms involved in blood pressure control and pathogenesis of hypertension. I am particularly interested in the role of the sympathetic nervous system, endothelium, macro- and microvascular dysfunction in hypertension.

Other activities

I act as a reviewer for the Journal of Hypertension and Journal of Hyman Hypertension.

Publications

  1. Shantsila A, Lane DA, Beevers DG, Lip GY. Does obesity influence target organ damage and outcomes in patients with malignant phase hypertension? The West Birmingham Malignant Hypertension Project. Hypertens Res. 2013 Feb 14. doi:10.1038/hr.2012.222. [Epub ahead of print]
  2. Shantsila E, Shantsila A, Blann AD, Lip GY. Left ventricular fibrosis in atrial fibrillation. Am J Cardiol. 2013 Apr 1;111:996-1001.
  3. Jaipersad AS, Shantsila A, Silverman S, Lip GY, Shantsila E. Evaluation of Carotid Plaque Neovascularization Using Contrast Ultrasound. Angiology. 2012 Sep 14. [Epub ahead of print]
  4. Shantsila A, Lane DA, Beevers DG, Lip GY. Lack of impact of pulse pressure on outcomes in patients with malignant phase hypertension: the West Birmingham Malignant Hypertension study. J Hypertens. 2012;30:974-9.
  5. Shantsila A, Dwivedi G, Shantsila E, Steeds RP, Beevers G, Lip GY. Vascular ventricular coupling in patients with malignant phase hypertension: the West Birmingham malignant hypertension project. Hypertens Res. 2012 Jul;35(7):725-8.
  6. Shantsila A, Dwivedi G, Shantsila E, Butt M, Beevers DG, Lip GY. A comprehensive assessment of cardiac structure and function in patients with treated malignant phase hypertension: The West Birmingham Malignant Hypertension project. Int J Cardiol. 2011 Dec 20. [Epub ahead of print]
  7. Butt M, Dwivedi G, Shantsila A, Khair OA, Lip GY. Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in obstructive sleep apnea: impact of continuous positive airway pressure therapy. Circ Heart Fail. 2012;5:226-33.
  8. Shantsila A, Dwivedi G, Shantsila E, Butt M, Beevers DG, Lip GY. Persistent macrovascular and microvascular dysfunction in patients with malignant hypertension. Hypertension. 2011;57:490-6.
  9. Shantsila E, Wrigley BJ, Shantsila A, Tapp LD, Gill PS, Lip GY.Monocyte-derived and CD34+/KDR+ endothelial progenitor cells in heart failure. J Thromb Haemost. 2012 Jul;10:1252-61
  10. Butt M, Khair OA, Dwivedi G, Shantsila A, Shantsila E, Lip GY. Myocardial perfusion by myocardial contrast echocardiography and endothelial dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea. Hypertension. 2011;58:417-24.
  11. Shantsila A, Lip GY. Dronedarone: a new hope for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation? Am J Cardiovasc Drugs. 2011 Dec 1;11:355-6.
  12. Shantsila A, Lip GY. Highlights of the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2011: a focus on ATLAS-TIMI 51, TRACER and PALLAS. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2012;10:305-7.
  13. Shantsila A, Lip GY. Silent cerebral embolism after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. Int J Clin Pract. 2012;66:118-20.
  14. Shantsila A, Shantsila E. Endothelial dysfunction and diurnal variation of blood pressure: night secrets of arterial hypertension? J Hum Hypertens. 2011;25:653-5.
  15. Shantsila A, Lip GY. Statins and prophylaxis of venous thrombosis - a further link between arterial and venous thrombosis. Int J Clin Pract. 2010;64:1326-8.
  16. Shantsila A, Shantsila E, Lip GY. Malignant hypertension: a rare problem or is it underdiagnosed? Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2010;8:775-9.
  17. Shantsila A, Lip GY. Towards (cost)effective cardiovascular risk management: using new drugs vs. the better use of available ones. Int J Clin Pract. 2010;64:138-40.
  18. Shantsila A, Shantsila E. Arterial stiffening in hypertension: beyond blood pressure levels. J Hum Hypertens. 2010;24:303-5.
  19. Blann A, Shantsila E, Shantsila A. Microparticles and arterial disease. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2009;35:488-96.
  20. Shantsila A, Lip GY. ACP Journal Club. Review: Combining 2 classes of blood pressure-lowering drugs has an approximately additive effect on systolic blood pressure. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151:JC2-11.

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