On Friday 3 September, NEEDED launched a new research center in Sandnes, led by Medical Chief and Professor at the University of Stavanger Stein Ørn and his team. With a range of devices and equipment, they will conduct advanced research and tests on people’s cardiac health.

NEEDED (North Sea Race Endurance Exercise Study) performs research on early detection of serious heart disease. The goal is to find causes of sudden cardiac death and prevent them from happening. In addition, the researchers work to find simple methods to help people test their own risk for undiagnosed, serious heart disease.

ConocoPhillips Scandinavia AS is one of the main sponsors and company representatives attended the opening.

‘Heart research can benefit everyone, including our employees. Every year we have several emergency departures from Ekofisk due to acute heart disease. If the research can detect who is at risk, we can contribute to save lives through this project,’ Ingunn Hovdevik Hagelin said, ConocoPhillips’ Manger of HR, Medical and Communications.

NEEDED started their research in 2013, in combination with the North Sea Race. The studies were conducted in conjunction with physical activities. Subsequently, the projects have since then developed and received international recognition.

NEEDED has performed three studies in the period of 2013-2018 by looking at the cardiac marker troponin, which could be significantly higher in persons with undiscovered heard disease. Troponin is a protein leaks into the blood stream if the heart gets hurt or stressed. It is also used in the diagnosis of heart attacks. Through blood tests, researchers found serious heart disease within three of the 98 people who joined the 2013 study, and two of them went through heart surgery.

‘This is a project that shows that professional collaboration facilitates new development of professional competence and advanced technology. The goal is to create innovation, which in turn helps saving lives,’ Ole Klingsheim said, Manager of Research and Development at ConocoPhillips.

In 2014, NEEDED researchers conducted a similar study which also found serious heart conditions in several participants, and eight people had to go through surgery. This time they also found that some had high values of troponin without having a heart disease. This became the basis for the study in 2018, aiming to find methods for separating the sick from healthy. From now on, NEEDED will look to find methods for self-testing, that do not require medical consultation.

‘Finding a method that documents a rise of troponin to a level that indicates serious heart disease by using a test at home or at work would be very helpful. This can simplify the process to identify serious heart disease, that can be more easily investigated and treated’, said Tatjana Bergsland, Regional Medical Director at ConocoPhillips.