Overview

Sinead completed her BSc in Sport Sciences at Brunel University in 2011. She then moved to the University of Exeter to study for a MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine.

During her time as a Masters student, Sinead became very interested in the effects of dietary nitrate supplementation and lifestyle choices on cardiovascular health and exercise tolerance and went on to pursue a PhD in this area.

In 2017, Sinead joined the University of Exeter Medical School Primary Care department as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow where her research focuses on the detection and management of postural hypotension, hypertension and atrial fibrillation in primary care and the implementation of a home-based cardiac rehabilitation programme (REACH-HF) in the NHS. Sinead has recently been awarded a 2-year NIHR School for Primary Care Research Postdoctoral Fellowship to support her research interests in detecting postural hypotension in primary care, as well as training and development.

Qualifications

• BSc Sport Sciences (Brunel University)
• MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine (University of Exeter)
• PhD  Sport Sciences - Exercise Physiology and Nutrition (University of Exeter)
• AFHEA

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Research

Research interests

• Recognition and management of postural hypotension in primary care
• Improving blood pressure control in patients with hypertension
• Significance and implications of a difference in blood pressures between arms
• Heart failure and cardiac rehabilitation
• Access to primary care
• Rural healthcare
• Lowering blood pressure and improving exercise capacity through dietary nitrate supplementation
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Multimorbidity and decision making about healthcare

Research projects

STANDD: STanding blood pressure and its AssociatioN with cardiovascular Disease and aDverse events

UMPH: Understanding measurement of postural hypotension

THUD: Thresholds used to detect postural hypotension

Cochrane Review: Allied health professional-led interventions for improving control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension

INTERPRESS-IPD: The inter-arm blood pressure difference individual participant data collaboration

ABLE-BP: Arm Based on LEg Blood Pressure: An individual participant data mea-analysis using data from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration

REACH-HF: Rehabilitation Enablement in Chronic Heart Failure 

D-REACH-HF: Digital Rehabilitation Enablement in Chronic Heart Failure

ImPULSE: Sensitivity and specificity of a mobile lead-one ECG device for the detection of Atrial Fibrillation

Cochrane Review: Home vs. centre based cardiac rehabilitation

RETAIN: Recruitment and retention of staff in rural dispensing practice

Systematic review: Group-based interventions for hypertension care

Academic Awards

Above & Beyond Silver Award nomination by Professor Richard Neal and Professor John Campbell, for outstanding performance, excellence in research and contribution to supporting early and mid career researchers in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, 2023.

Knowledge Exchange Awards 2022 – REACH-HF team runner up for Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences Award - Products, Policy and Service, University of Exeter, 2022.

Above & Beyond nomination by Associate Professor Gary Abel, for contribution to the South West Society for Academic Primary Care 2022 Conference, University of Exeter, 2022.

Young Investigator Bursary for attendance and oral presentation at the European Society of Hypertension Conference 2022, Athens.

2021 Best of Hypertension paper in the category of Clinical Science for 'Clark CE, Warren FC, Boddy K, McDonagh STJ, Moore S et al. (2020). Associations between inter-arm differences in blood pressure, mortality and cardiovascular disease outcomes: individual patient data meta-analysis and development of a prognostic algorithm (INTERPRESS-PD). Hypertension, doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.15997'

Young Investigator Bursary for attendance and oral presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference 2021, Brighton.

Above & Beyond nomination by Professor Rod Taylor, Professor Colin Greaves and Dr Hasnain Dalal for contribution to REACH-HF. University of Exeter, 2020.

The BMJ Awards. REACH-HF shortlisted in the Stroke and Cardiovascular category, April 2020.

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) South West Research Awards. REACH-HF nominated for the ‘Innovation Award’ and ‘Outstanding Research Contribution Team Award’, February 2020.

Young Investigator Placement Programme Award to visit University of Oxford. British and Irish Hypertension Society, 2019.

Young Investigator Bursary for attendance and presentation of two posters at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference 2019, Birmingham.

Above & Beyond nomination by Dr Christopher Clark for contribution to ‘Allied health professional-led interventions for improving control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension’ Cochrane review. University of Exeter, 2018.

Young Investigator Bursary for attendance and presentation of three posters at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference 2018, Cambridge.

Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) Nutrition Award winner at the European College of Sport Sciences (ECSS) Conference 2015, Malmö. ‘Effects of blood donation and nitrate ingestion on the physiological response to moderate-intensity and incremental exercise’.

Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) Nutrition Award Finalist at the European College of Sport Sciences (ECSS) Conference 2014, Amsterdam. ‘Antibacterial mouthwash attenuates the physiological effects of chronic nitrate supplementation in humans’.

Recipient of the 2010-2011 Brunel University Best Undergraduate Dissertation Award for thesis entitled “Effects of Short Term Plyometric Training on Bone Mineral Density, Bone Mineral Content and Body Composition of Males in Non-Weight Bearing Sports’.

Recipient of the 2010-2011 Physiological Society Undergraduate Dissertation Award.

Recipient of the 2010-2011 Ede & Ravenscroft Undergraduate Dissertation Prize.

Research networks

• NIHR SPCR University of Exeter (APEx) Early Career Researcher Representative
• NIHR Academy
• British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS)
• European Society of Hypertension
• Society for Academic Primary Care

Research grants

• 2024 National Institute for Health and Care Research
  Patient-led interventions to manage symptoms and episodes of atrial Fibrillation: a mixed-methods study (PALP-AF). £53,124. Co-applicant.
• 2024 National Institute for Health and Care Research
  Understanding Patient Perspectives of Postural hypotension (UPPP). £91,802. Co-applicant.
• 2024 National Institute for Health and Care Research
  Heart failure and participation in physical activity: Healthcare professional support and availability of community physical activity services (HAPPY-HP).£211,539. Collaborator.
• 2023 National Institute for Health and Care Research
  Standing blood pressure and its association with cardiovascular disease and adverse events (STANDD) - systematic review and IPD meta-analysis. £238,757. Co-applicant.
• 2023 South West General Practice Trust
  Thresholds used for detecting postural hypotension – reliability and feasibility study. £9,986. Co-Principal Investigator.
• 2022 Northcott Devon Medical Foundation
  Thresholds Used to Diagnose Postural Hypotension - feasibility trial. £7068. Co-Principal Investigator.
• 2022 National Institute for Health and Care Research
  Understanding measurement of postural hypotension. £130,186. Co-Principal Investigator.
• 2022 British and Irish Hypertension Society
  Systematic review to detect blood pressure monitor validation studies. The results will contribute to improving the BIHS blood pressure validation service. £30,000. Co-Principal Investigator.
• 2021 National Institute for Health and Care Research
  NIHR SPCR Postdoctoral Fellowship: Thresholds Used to Diagnose Postural Hypotension. £145,000. Principal Investigator.
• 2021 ARUK
  Thresholds used for detecting postural hypotension – cerebral blood flow feasibility equipment. £2856. Principal Investigator.
• 2021 National Institute for Health and Care Research
  Seedcorn funding for preparation of SPCR Postdoctoral Fellowship application and several grant applications. £9901. Principal Investigator.
• 2020 National Institute for Health Research
  Extending the reach and implementation of the successful REACH-HF programme with a digitally enhanced training programme. £161,434. Co-applicant.
• 2020 SW AHSN
  REACH-HF: delivering home-based cardiac rehabilitation training during the COVID-19 pandemic. £5,978. Co-applicant.
• 2020 BHF Research Project
  D REACH-HF: Digital Rehabilitation Enablement in Chronic Heart Failure. £167,000. Co-applicant.
• 2019 The Stroke Association
  Can leg blood pressure measurements predict brachial blood pressure? An individual participant data meta-analysis using data from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration. £56,114. Co-applicant.
• 2019 The Thalidomide Trust
  Supporting Thalidomide Trust beneficiaries in collaborating with researchers, as public advisors, in determining the relationship between arm and leg blood pressure using an IPD meta-analysis (project funded by the Stroke Association). £7,770. Co-applicant.
• 2019 National Centre for Rural Health and Care
  Recruitment and retention of staff in rural dispensing practice. £5,000. Co-applicant.

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Publications

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External Engagement and Impact

Administrative responsibilities

Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx) early and mid career researcher lead representative (March 2022 - present)

Conferences and invited presentations

McDonagh STJ, Nataliya Makukha, Charlotte Reburn, Jane R Smith, Christopher E Clark. (2023). Group-delivered interventions for lowering blood pressure in hypertension: systematic review and meta-analysis. Poster presentation at Hypertension Canada, Montreal.

McDonagh STJ, Cross R, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national survey. Poster presentation at Hypertension Canada, Montreal.

Cross R, McDonagh STJ, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Treadgold B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national qualitative inquiry. Oral presentation at Hypertension Canada, Montreal.

McDonagh STJ, Cross R, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national survey. Oral presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society, Aberdeen.

Cross R, McDonagh STJ, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Treadgold B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national qualitative inquiry. Poster presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society, Aberdeen.

McDonagh STJ, Cross R, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national survey. Oral presentation at the European Society of Hypertension, Milan.

Cross R, McDonagh STJ, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Treadgold B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national qualitative inquiry. Poster presentation at the European Society of Hypertension, Milan.

McDonagh STJ, Cross R, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national survey. Oral presentation at the Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Brighton.

McDonagh STJ, Dalal HM, Moore S, Clark CE, Dean SG, Jolly K, Taylor RS, Cowie A, Afzal J. Are alternative home- and technology supported modes of rehabilitation delivery as effective as traditional centre-based programmes for people with heart disease? Findings from a Cochrane review. ePoster presentation at the Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Brighton.

Cross R, McDonagh STJ, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national qualitative inquiry. Oral presentation at the Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Brighton.

McDonagh STJ, Cross R, Masoli J, Konya J, Jakubowski B, Sheppard J, Fordham J, Lamb S, Payne R, Turner K, McManus R, Abel G, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2023). Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care – national survey. Oral presentation at the South West Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Birmingham.

​McDonagh STJ, Sheppard J, Warren F, Boddy K, Farmer L, Shore H, Williams P, Lewis PS, Baumber R, Fordham AJ, Martin U, Aboyans V, Clark CE. (2022). Arm Based on LEg blood pressures (ABLE-BP): Can leg blood pressure measurements predict brachial blood pressure? An individual participant data meta-analysis from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration. Oral presentation at the European Society of Hypertension Conference, Athens.

McDonagh STJ, Makukha N, Reburn C, Smith J, Clark CE. (2022) Group interventions in hypertension: systematic review and meta-analysis. Oral presentation at the Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Lancashire.

Cross R, McDonagh STJ, Cockroft E, Turner M, Isom M, Lambourn R, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2022). Recruitment and retention of staff in rural dispensing practice. Invited oral presentation at the Royal College of General Practitioners Rural Connections Webinar.

McDonagh STJ, Sheppard J, Warren F, Boddy K, Farmer L, Shore H, Williams P, Lewis PS, Baumber R, Fordham AJ, Martin U, Aboyans V, Clark CE. (2021). Arm Based on LEg blood pressures (ABLE-BP): Can leg blood pressure measurements predict brachial blood pressure? An individual participant data meta-analysis from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration. Oral presentation at Young Investigator Award session at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference, Brighton.

McDonagh STJ, Makukha N, Reburn C, Smith J, Clark CE. (2021). Group interventions in hypertension: systematic review and meta-analysis. Poster presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference, Brighton.

McDonagh STJ, Sheppard J, Warren F, Boddy K, Farmer L, Shore H, Williams P, Lewis PS, Baumber R, Fordham AJ, Martin U, Aboyans V, Clark CE. (2021). Arm Based on LEg blood pressures (ABLE-BP): Can leg blood pressure measurements predict brachial blood pressure? An individual participant data meta-analysis from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration. Oral presentation at, Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Leeds (online conference).

McDonagh STJ, Sheppard J, Warren F, Boddy K, Farmer L, Shore H, Williams P, Lewis PS, Baumber R, Fordham AJ, Martin U, Aboyans V, Clark CE. (2021). Arm Based on LEg blood pressures (ABLE-BP): Can leg blood pressure measurements predict brachial blood pressure? An individual participant data meta-analysis from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration. Oral presentation at Hypertension Canada, Toronto (online conference).

McDonagh STJ, Clark CE, Smith LFP, Cloutier L, Konya J, Todkar SK, Clark OM, Glynn LG, Taylor RS, Campbell JL. Measuring BP in primary care: practical aspects and the role of AHPs. Invited oral presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Symposium, European Society of Hypertension and International Society of Hypertension Conference Joint Meeting, Glasgow (online conference).

McDonagh STJ, Sheppard J, Warren F, Boddy K, Farmer L, Shore H, Williams P, Lewis PS, Baumber R, Fordham AJ, Martin U, Aboyans V, Clark CE. (2021). Arm Based on LEg blood pressures (ABLE-BP): Can leg blood pressure measurements predict brachial blood pressure? An individual participant data meta-analysis from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration. Poster presentation at the European Society of Hypertension and International Society of Hypertension Conference Joint Meeting, Glasgow (online conference).

McDonagh STJ, Rhodes S, Keenan S, Warren FC, Pentecost C, Keeling P, James M, Taylor RS, Clark CE. ImPulse: Sensitivity and specificity of a novel mobile lead-1 ECG-like device for the detection of atrial fibrillation. Poster presentation at the European Society of Hypertension and International Society of Hypertension Conference Joint Meeting, Glasgow (online conference).

McDonagh STJ, Sheppard J, Warren F, Boddy K, Farmer L, Shore H, Williams P, Lewis PS, Baumber R, Fordham AJ, Martin U, Aboyans V, Clark CE. (2021). Arm Based on LEg blood pressures (ABLE-BP): Can leg blood pressure measurements predict brachial blood pressure? An individual participant data meta-analysis from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration. Oral presentation at South West Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Warwick (online conference).

McDonagh STJ, Dalal H, van Beurden S, Daw P , Greaves C, Doherty P, Taylor RS, on behalf of the REACH-HF Study Investigators. (2020). REACH-HF Beacon Site Project: Developing and evaluating a network of practice for the implementation of home-based heart failure rehabilitation across the UK. Poster presentation at the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Conference, London.

McDonagh STJ, Sheppard J, Warren F, Boddy K, Farmer L, Lewis P, Baumber R, Martin U, Clark CE. (2020). Arm Based on LEg blood pressures (ABLE-BP): Can leg blood pressure measurements predict brachial blood pressure? An individual participant data meta-analysis from the INTERPRESS-IPD Collaboration. Oral presentation at South West Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Bristol.

McDonagh STJ, Norris B, Fordham AJ, Greenwood MR, Richards SH, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2019). Impact of inter-arm blood pressure difference on cardiovascular risk estimation in primary care. Poster presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference, Birmingham.

McDonagh STJ, Norris B, Fordham AJ, Greenwood MR, Richards SH, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2019). Impact of inter-arm blood pressure difference on cardiovascular risk estimation in primary care. Oral presentation at the Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Exeter.

McDonagh STJ, Norris B, Fordham AJ, Greenwood MR, Richards SH, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2019). Impact of inter-arm blood pressure difference on cardiovascular risk estimation in primary care. Poster presentation at the European Society of Hypertension Conference, Milan.

McDonagh STJ, Norris B, Fordham AJ, Greenwood MR, Richards SH, Campbell JL, Clark CE. (2019). Impact of inter-arm blood pressure difference on cardiovascular risk estimation in primary care. Oral presentation at the South West Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Southampton.

McDonagh STJ, Mejzner N, Clark, CE. (2018). Prevalence of postural hypotension in primary, community and institutional care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Poster presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference, Cambridge.

Clark CE, Smith LFP, Cloutier L, Konya J, Todkar SK, McDonagh STJ, Clark OM, Glynn LG, Taylor RS, Campbell J. (2018). Interventions to improve control of hypertension; what works (and what doesn’t)? Poster presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference, Cambridge.

Clark CE, McDonagh STJ, McManus RJ. (2018) Accuracy of automated blood pressure measurements in the presence of atrial fibrillation: systematic review and meta-analysis. Poster presentation at the British and Irish Hypertension Society Conference, Cambridge.

McDonaghSTJ, Mejzner N, Clark CE. Prevalence of postural hypotension in primary, community and institutional care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Oral presentation at the 2018 Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, London.

McDonaghSTJ, Mejzner N, Clark CE. Prevalence of postural hypotension in primary, community and institutional care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Oral presentation at the 2018 South West Society for Academic Primary Care Conference, Plymouth.

McDonagh STJ, Vanhatalo A, Fulford J, Wylie LJ, Bailey SJ, Jones AM. (2015). Effects of blood donation and nitrate ingestion on the physiological response to moderate-intensity and incremental exercise. Oral presentation at the 2015 Physiological Society Conference, Cardiff.

McDonagh STJ, Vanhatalo A, Fulford J, Wylie LJ, Bailey SJ, Jones AM. (2015). Effects of blood donation and nitrate ingestion on the physiological response to moderate-intensity and incremental exercise. Oral presentation at the 2015 ECSS Annual Conference, Malmo.

McDonagh STJ, Vanhatalo A, Fulford J, Wylie LJ, Bailey SJ, Jones AM. (2015). Effects of blood donation and nitrate ingestion on the physiological response to moderate-intensity and incremental exercise. Oral presentation at the 2015 GSSI Nutrition Award ECSS Annual Conference, Malmo.

McDonagh STJ, Vanhatalo A, Fulford J, Wylie LJ, Bailey SJ, Jones AM. (2015). Effects of blood donation and nitrate ingestion on the physiological response to moderate-intensity and incremental exercise. Oral presentation at the 2015 BASES Student Conference.

McDonagh STJ, Wylie LJ, Winyard PG, Vanhatalo A, Jones AM (2014). Antibacterial mouthwash attenuates the physiological effects of chronic nitrate supplementation in humans. Mini Oral presentation at the 2014 ECSS Annual Conference.

McDonagh STJ, Wylie LJ, Winyard PG, Vanhatalo A, Jones AM (2014). Antibacterial mouthwash attenuates the physiological effects of chronic nitrate supplementation in humans. Oral presentation at the 2014 GSSI Nutrition Award ECSS Annual Conference.

McDonagh STJ, Wylie LJ, Winyard PG, Vanhatalo A, Jones AM (2014). Antibacterial mouthwash attenuates the physiological effects of chronic nitrate supplementation in humans. Oral presentation at the 2014 BASES Student Conference.

External positions

• British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS) member

BIHS Early Career Researcher Special Interest Group chair and Executive board member (2022-2024)

BIHS Early Career Researcher Special Interest Group/Former Young Investigator Working Party Member (2017-present)

BIHS Blood Pressure Measurement Working Party Member (2017-present)

BIHS Educational Programmes Working Party Member (2019-present)

• NIHR Academy member

• Hypertension Canada member

• European Society of Hypertension member

• Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) member

SAPC (2018-present) - Cardiovascular Research Special Interest Group Co-lead representative

• South West Society for Academic Primary Care Conference Organising Committee member (2022)

• NIHR School for Primary Care Research Trainee Event Committee member (2022)

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Teaching

• Making Sense of Evidence special study unit tutor for BMBS undergraduate medical programme
• Supervision of final year research students/projects on the BSc Medical Sciences programme.
• Supervision of intercalation year research students/projects on the BSc Medical Sciences programme.
• Supervision of NIHR SPCR summer internship research students/projects.

Previous teaching roles in Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter:

Sinead has an interest in physiology and has had the opportunity to teach and provide feedback to students on a number of different undergraduate physiology modules over 4 years (see below). She has also conducted individual and group workshops for students aiming to improve their writing skills and understanding of basic chemistry and biology. 

• ESS1502    Sports Training Physiology
• ESS1703    Bioenergetics
• ESS1005    Foundations of Exercise Physiology
• ESS1007    Human Physiology
• ESS1506    Foundations of Sports Nutrition
• ESS2001    Exercise Physiology
• ESS2502    Exercise Programming
• ESS3302    Dissertation     

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