John F. Beltrame

John Beltrame is the Michell Professor of Medicine and Discipline Lead at the University of Adelaide. His multi-campus hospital roles include senior consultant cardiologist and Director of Research at the Central Adelaide Local Health Network. His PhD thesis was entitled ‘Vasomotor Reactivity Studies of Small and Large Coronary Arteries’, which involved clinical studies in Rome (Agostino Gemelli Policlinic), Kyoto (Kyoto University Hospital) and Adelaide (The Queen Elizabeth Hospital), with subsequent post-doctoral studies undertaken at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. His group’s major contribution to coronary vasomotor disorders include the original clinical characterisation of the coronary slow flow phenomenon and the introduction of the term MINOCA (Myocardial Infarction with Non-obstructive Coronary Arteries). He continues to actively research coronary vasomotor disorders and was cofounder of COVADIS (Coronary Vasomotor Disorders International Study group). His personal mission is to increase awareness of these disabling disorders and identify effective therapies. Professor John Beltrame is a world-renowned academic cardiologist with active research, clinical and teaching roles. He is the Michell Chair and Discipline of Medicine Lead at the University of Adelaide. He is also the Director of Research for the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, and a Senior Consultant Cardiologist at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Royal Adelaide Hospital and Lyell McEwin Hospital. His expertise and international research reputation focus on the coronary vasomotor disorders, particularly involving large vessel coronary artery spasm and coronary microvascular dysfunction. He has undertaken seminal work in the clinical characterisation of the coronary slow flow phenomenon, vasospastic angina, and MINOCA (Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries). Furthermore, since women are particularly susceptible to coronary microvascular disorders, many of his studies focus on women’s heart disease. In addition to these coronary disorders, he has a strong interest in value-based healthcare, particularly evaluating the benefit of cardiac treatments on patient outcomes – referred to as PROMs (ie Patient-Related Outcome Measures). This is largely achieved via the CADOSA (Coronary Angiogram Database of South Australia) Registry, which he developed and currently chairs. The above collaborative studies not only involve local hospitals and institutions but also international institutions in the United States, Sweden, Norway, Japan and New Zealand. In addition to these research roles, he is an active clinician and undertakes both undergraduate medical course teaching and post-graduate research training. Professor John F Beltrame is the Michell Professor in Medicine at the University of Adelaide and Director of Research for the Central Adelaide Local Health Network. He has strong clinical and research interests in coronary heart disease, especially in relation to coronary vasomotor disorders, which has evolved from his postgraduate studies in Rome, Kyoto and Boston. Along with Prof Noel Bairey Merz, he co-founded and co-chairs, COVADIS (Coronary Vasomotion Disorders International Study group), which promotes the diagnosis and treatment of patients afflicted with these disorders. His specific areas of expertise include the coronary slow flow phenomenon, vasospastic angina, MINOCA (Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries) and persistent angina after successful stenting (Post-PCI Angina). He is particularly interested in patient-related outcomes and developed the Coronary Angiogram Database of South Australia (CADOSA) to investigate the impact of these conditions upon patients. Professor John Beltrame is the Head of Discipline of Medicine at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He is an academic cardiologist with active research, clinical and teaching roles. His international reputation and expertise focuses on coronary vascular disorders although in recent years this has broadened to include peripheral artery disease (in collaboration with the vascular surgical unit led by Professor Rob Fitridge), molecular mechanisms in vascular disorders (in collaboration with Dr David Wilson), gender disparities in cardiovascular disorders, depression (in collaboration with Dr Geoff Schrader), cardiovascular imaging and health service delivery, with projects such as CADOSA (Coronary Angiogram Database of South Australia). His collaborative studies not only involve local hospitals and institutions but also international institutions in the United States, Holland, Italy and Japan.