AVOID Study

Air Verses Oxygen In myocarDial infarction study (AVOID Study)

The role of routinely providing oxygen for patients with uncomplicated acute heart attacks has recently been questioned. There is conflicting data on the possible effects of high oxygen levels on the heart. The few clinical trials examining the role of oxygen in heart attack were performed prior to the modern approach of heart attack care.

Air Verses Oxygen In myocarDial infarction study (AVOID Study) is a prospective, multi-centre, randomised, controlled trial conducted by Ambulance Victoria and participating metropolitan Melbourne hospitals who treat acute heart attack. AVOID will enrol 384 patients, > 18 years of age with acute heart attack of less than 12 hours duration. The purpose of the study is to determine whether withholding of routine supplemental oxygen therapy in patients with heart attack decreases amount of heart damage.

There is an urgent need for clinical trials examining the role of oxygen in heart attack. The AVOID study will seek to clarify this important issue. Results from this study will have widespread implications on the treatment of heart attacks and the use of oxygen in both the pre-hospital and hospital settings.

The AVOID trial is a prospective, multi-centre, randomised, controlled trial conducted by Ambulance Victoria and participating Melbourne hospitals with a 24-hour cardiac interventional facility (Alfred, Austin, Box Hill, Cabrini, Epworth, Frankston, Knox, Monash Medical Centre, Northern, Royal Melbourne, St Vincent’s and Western Hospital). This study is funded (in part) by support from Paramedics Australasia.

Study Team

Chief Investigators

Dr Karen Smith (Ambulance Victoria (AV), Monash University (MU))

Associate Professor Stephen Bernard (The Alfred Hospital, AV, MU)

Co-Investigators (Steering Committee)

Michael Stephenson (AV)

Janet Bray (AV)

Bill Barger (AV)

Ian Jarvie (AV)

Professor Ian Meredith (Southern Health, Monash University)

Dr Dion Stub (Baker IDI Heart Diabetes Institute, Alfred Hospital)

Professor Peter Cameron (Monash University, Alfred Hospital)

Professor David Kaye (Baker IDI, Alfred Hospital)