UCD Graduate implants first ANGELMED GUARDIAN devices in the world, to give early warning of heart attack

Publication date: 7th December 2020

UCD Graduate Dato Dr Leslie Lam carried out the first implants of the ‘AngelMed Guardian’ device in Singapore last month.

AngelMed Guardian® is the first implantable patient-alerting system for patients who had prior Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS), including myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) or unstable angina and who remain at high risk for recurrent ACS events including silent heart attacks.. Delays in treatment contribute to increased mortality and morbidity from heart attacks. AngelMed Guardian® received FDA approval in 2018.  AngelMed devices had been implanted and subsequently removed in a series of patients in trials leading to FDA approval.  Dr. Lam’s cases are the first long-term implants carried out.

Dr Lam carried out four implants last month, endorsed by Prof MW Krucoff (Duke University SoM), Prof. CM Gibson (Harvard Medical School) and Prof D Holmes (Mayo Clinic SoM), under a Singapore Early Access Scheme Permit.  All patients were discharged well and it is planned to complete further implants in the near future.

Dr Lam graduated from UCD (where he met his future wife, Dr. Ivy Yap) in 1967, and completed postgraduate training in cardiology under, among others, Prof Conor Ward, Prof. Sean Blake, and Prof. Eoin O’Brien.  He returned to Singapore and pioneered interventional cardiology in SE Asia. 

Dr Lam has received numerous honours during his career, including Fellowships from the RCPI, the Academy of Medicine in Singapore, and the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions of the USA. In 1984, he was admitted to the Most Honourable Order of the Kingdom of Brunei.  Dr. Lam received an Honorary Fellowship of the UCD Faculty of Medicine in 2005, when he also delivered the commencement address at the UCD Medicine Graduation Ceremony. Dr Lam was conferred Honorary D.Med (NUI) in 2015 and Distinguished Graduate Award in 2017. 

Dr Lam partnered with Prof. Eoin O' Brien to donate the Lam - O’Brien collection, a treasure-trove of Irish literature and heritage, to UCD. This collection includes many priceless original Beckett items, collected by Prof. O' Brien, a noted Beckett scholar. 

Dr Lam has been a consistent supporter and friend to UCD and we are very proud of his most recent and ground-breaking achievement. 

https://cardiovascularnews.com/first-patient-implanted-with-next-generation-angelmed-guardian-system/

https://cardiology2.com/first-angelmed-guardian-implants-in-asia-pacific/

https://www.invasivecardiology.com/news/first-angelmed-guardianr-implants-asia-pacific