Cardiovascular Ageing and Longevity Programme (CRANE)

Led by Assoc Prof Angela Koh, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology and Director, CRANE programme, NHCS established Asia-Pacific's first comprehensive Cardiovascular Ageing and Longevity (CRANE) programme in 2025. This pioneering initiative incorporates clinical care, research and innovation, and education to drive better cardiovascular care through prevention of cardiovascular disease and promotion of cardiovascular longevity in ageing.

With one in four Singapore residents reaching aged 65 and above by 2030, this programme will provide specialised heart care for seniors.

The CRANE programme aims to:

• Re-design Cardiovascular Care for Older Adults
  CRANE will address seniors’ unique needs by developing tailored care models and protocols.
• Integrate Gerosciences For Understanding Cardiovascular Disease Pathogenesis
  To discover and integrate basic and translational research in gerosciences necessary for deepening our understanding of cardiovascular disease pathogenesis in ageing.
• Early Detection & Prevention
  CRANE will test smart screening tools and innovations in gerontechnology for real-world clinical applications.
• Real-world strategies and interventions
  Recognizing the heterogeneity and complexity that ageing places on the older adult with cardiovascular disease, CRANE will rigorously evaluate real-world interventional strategies that promote health-span and reduce frailty.
• Education & Empowerment
  CRANE will cultivate awareness and formulate education and training programs among healthcare professionals and students to ensure that cardiology providers – including nurses, therapists, and physicians – are equipped with the required knowledge and skills to address emerging developments in care of older adults with cardiovascular disease. Collaborations between interdisciplinary stakeholders will help eliminate barriers and streamline care efficiently. Establishing effective clinical and policy frameworks while supporting healthcare providers through education, training, and cross-disciplinary collaboration will be a key strategy for combating the impact of population aging.

Innovation & Technology

The programme leverages on smart technologies including:

Research for Clinical Care

NHCS’s CRANE programme integrates research with clinical care for older adults. The programme advances understanding of cardiovascular ageing through the development and validation of research through pragmatic, real world studies that promote healthy cardiovascular longevity.

INDEPENDENCY
Launched in 2023 and ongoing, INDEPENDENCY evaluates nutrition and exercise programmes to improve cardiovascular health and reduce frailty in older adults with heart conditions. The study has established standardised frailty assessment workflows and a coordinated cardiac care model across NHCS, with outcomes focused on functional status, independence and outcomes.

ESCAP-AGE
ESCAP-AGE is an ongoing clinical trial that assesses whether structured, supervised physical activity can slow cardiac ageing and improve patient centred outcomes. It measures changes in cardiovascular ageing markers alongside functional capacity and quality of life, and is designed for real world implementation to enable adoption of effective protocols in cardiovascular prevention.

Picture above: CRANE team members and collaborators.

Read more about the programme here.