Professor Gerasimos Siasos has extensive medical expertise in the field of cardiology, particularly in the research and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. One focus of his research is the investigation of arterial stiffness and its prognostic significance in patients with stable coronary heart disease. In a study of 262 patients who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention, he found that increased arterial stiffness, as measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), was associated with an increased risk of serious cardiovascular events. Specifically, the study showed that for every 1 m/s increase in PWV, the risk of such events increases by 29%. These findings underline the importance of PWV measurement as a potential marker for the prognosis and management of patients with stable coronary artery disease.
Another area of Professor Siasos' research concerns the role of osteoprotegerin (OPG) as a biomarker for arterial stiffness. In a study of 115 hypertensive patients, he found that elevated serum OPG levels correlate positively with the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI), a measure of arterial stiffness. This suggests that OPG may serve as an independent predictor of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients.
Professor Siasos has also investigated the importance of antithrombotic therapies in patients with coronary heart disease. He emphasizes the challenge of finding the balance between the prevention of thrombotic events and the risk of bleeding complications. His work helps to determine the optimal treatment strategy for patients with cardiovascular disease.