Dr Harry Ahmed
Senior Clinical Lecturer in Epidemiology. Director, Academic Fellows Scheme
- ahmedh2@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2251 0194
- Neuadd Meirionnydd
Overview
I am a Senior Clinical Lecturer in Epidemiology and Director of the Academic Fellows Scheme at the Division of Population Medicine, Cardiff University School of Medicine, and a practicing GP at Penygraig Surgery, Rhondda Cynon Taf.
My research focuses on using linked anonymised healthcare data to answer clinically relevent questions about common infections, antibiotic prescribing, and medication prescribing more generally.
I am particularly interested in:
1) Understanding how different treatment strategies affect clinical outcomes of acute infection.
2) Exploring whether acute infections can trigger incident non-infectious events (e.g., cardiac events) or deteriorations in chronic disease (e.g., heart failure).
3) Data-driven approaches to rationalising medication prescribing by better quantifying factors related to initiation, early switching/stopping, and clinically important adverse events.
My current work includes:
Leading an NIHR Advanced Fellowship funded by Health and Care Research Wales investigating how we can Safely Prescribe Antibiotic Treatment for Infection in AnticoaguLant medication users (SPATIAL). The aim is to understand whether infection and/or specific antibiotics affect oral anticoagulant drug action and alter the risk of a serious bleed.
Leading a British Heart Foundation research grant investigating Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Subsequent tO URInary tract infection (MISSOURI). The aim is to investigate whether there is a causal relationship between UTI and acute cardiovascular events to widen our understanding of cardiovascular disease mechanisms and justify and inform clinical trials of prevention strategies.
Contributing as Co-Investigator to the NIHR HTA funded PriMUS Study (developing a tool to help GPs diagnose men with lower urinary tract symptoms more accurately), the NIHR HTA funded BOPPP study (randomised trial of beta-blockers for prophylaxis of oesophageal varices), and the NIHR funded IMPART study (developing a decision aid for recurrent UTI in women).
I am Co-lead of the Infections work-package for the Health and Care Research Wales funded Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Care Research (PRIME Centre Wales), and Associate Theme lead for the Population Health research theme for the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences.
I have considerable interest in supporting clinical acadmic trainees. I am Director of the Academic Fellows Scheme, a Welsh Government funded scheme that recruits, supports and mentors newly qualified GPs for two-years and provides opportunities for research, teaching, and postgraduate study. I also co-Lead the Cardiff cohort of the WCAT programme and mentor GP Academic Trainees.
My teaching roles include Case-based learning modules, co-leading the infections module of the Population Health Intercalated BSc, and supervising MPH, SSC, and intercalated BSc projects.
Biography
Qualifications
2019 PhD, Cardiff University
2012 PGD Epidemiology, London School Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. (Distinction).
2012 MRCGP, Membership, Royal College of General Practitioners.
2008 MRCS, Membership, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
2003 MB BCh, University of Wales, College of Medicine.
Research Grants as Principle Investigator
Improving outcomes for older people with urinary tract infection in primary care, NIHR Doctoral Fellowship, £360,000, September 2014 - September 2019.
Safer Prescribing of Antibiotic Treatment for Infection in AnticoaguLant medication users (SPATIAL), NIHR Advanced Fellowship, £380,000, June 2020 - May 2023.
Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Subsequent tO URInary tract infection (MISSOURI), BHF Research Grant, £220,000, May 2021 - April 2024.
Research Grants as Co-investigator
Primary care management of men with lower urinary tract symptoms: Development of a diagnostic and decision-making aid (PriMUS), NIHR HTA, £1.5M, April 2017 – May 2020.
Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Care Research (PRIME), Health and Care Research Wales, £1.8M, April 2018 – March 2020, and then refunded at £4.8M from April 2020 - March 2025.
Beta-blockers for prophylaxis of oesophageal varices (BOPP), NIHR HTA, £2.2M, January 2019 – June 2024.
IMproving Prophylactic Antibiotic use for Recurrent UTI, NIHR Doctoral Fellowship for Leigh Sanyaolu, Co-Supervisor, £650,000, September 2021-August 2025.
Publications
2022
- Le Boutillier, C., Ahmed, H., Patel, V., McPhail, M., Carter, B., Ward, C. and Lawrence, V. 2022. General Practitioner perspectives on factors that influence implementation of secondary care-initiated treatment in primary care: exploring implementation beyond the context of a clinical trial. PLoS ONE 17(10), article number: e0275668. (10.1371/journal.pone.0275668)
- Reeve, N. F. et al. 2022. Myocardial infarction and stroke subsequent to urinary tract infection (MISSOURI): protocol for a self-controlled case series using linked electronic health records. BMJ Open 12, article number: e064586. (10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064586)
- Turner, S., Ahmed, H., Akbari, A., Bethel, J., Cannings-John, R., Evans, A. and Mantzourani, E. 2022. Evaluation of a Sore throat Test and tReat servicE in community Pharmacies (STREP).. International Journal of Population Data Science 7(3), article number: 224. (10.23889/ijpds.v7i3.1999)
- Wasag, D. R., Cannings-John, R., Hughes, K. and Ahmed, H. 2022. Antibiotic dispensing during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of Welsh primary care dispensing data. Family Practice 39(3), pp. 420-425., article number: cmab141. (10.1093/fampra/cmab141)
- Neill, R., Gillespie, D. and Ahmed, H. 2022. Variation in antibiotic treatment failure outcome definitions in randomised trials and observational studies of antibiotic pre-scribing strategies: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Antibiotics 11(5), article number: 627. (10.3390/antibiotics11050627)
- Nana, M., Morgan, H., Ahmed, H. and Williamson, C. 2022. Hyperemesis gravidarum in the primary care setting: cross-sectional study of general practitioners. British Journal of General Practice 6(1), article number: 119. (10.3399/BJGPO.2021.0119)
- Gillespie, D. et al. 2022. Associations with post-consultation health-status in primary care managed acute exacerbation of COPD. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2022(17), pp. 383-394. (10.2147/COPD.S340710)
- Mantzourani, E., Cannings-John, R., Evans, A. and Ahmed, H. 2022. To swab or not to swab? Using point-of-care tests to detect Group A Streptococcus infections as part of a Sore Throat Test and Treat service in community pharmacy. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (10.1093/jac/dkab470)
- Purchase, T. et al. 2022. Polypharmacy and smoking as potentially modifiable risk factors associated with symptom severity in men with lower urinary tract symptoms in primary care: findings from the PriMUS study. European Urology Focus 8(1), pp. 8-10. (10.1016/j.euf.2022.01.001)
2021
- Ahmed, H., Gillespie, D. and Thomas-Jones, E. 2021. Effect of 7 vs 14 days of antibiotics among afebrile men with urinary tract infection. Journal of the American Medical Association 326(20), article number: 2080. (10.1001/jama.2021.16738)
- Milosevic, S. et al. 2021. Managing LUTS in primary care: qualitative study of GPs’ and patients’ experiences. British Journal of General Practice 71(710), pp. e685-e692. (10.3399/BJGP.2020.1043)
- Mantzourani, E. et al. 2021. Understanding the impact of a new pharmacy sore throat test and treat service on patient experience: a survey study. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 17(5), pp. 969-977. (10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.07.034)
- Milosevic, S. et al. 2021. Conducting invasive urodynamics in primary care: Qualitative interview study examining experiences of patients and healthcare professionals. Diagnostic and Prognostic Research 5, article number: 10. (10.1186/s41512-021-00100-y)
- Ahmed, H., Whitaker, H., Farewell, D., Hippisley-Cox, J. and Noble, S. 2021. Respiratory tract infection and risk of bleeding in oral anticoagulant users: self-controlled case series. British Medical Journal 2021, article number: 375. (10.1136/bmj-2021-068037)
2020
- Sanyaolu, L. N., Oakley, N. J., Nurmatov, U., Dolwani, S. and Ahmed, H. 2020. Antibiotic exposure and the risk of colorectal adenoma and carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Colorectal Disease 22(8), pp. 858-870. (10.1111/codi.14921)
- Pell, B. et al. 2020. PRImary care Management of lower Urinary tract Symptoms in men: protocol for development and validation of a diagnostic and clinical decision support tool (the PriMUS study). BMJ 10(6), article number: e037634. (10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037634)
- Mantzourani, E. et al. 2020. Impact of a pilot NHS-funded sore throat test and treat service in community pharmacies on provision and quality of patient care. BMJ Open Quality 9(1), pp. e000833. (10.1136/bmjoq-2019-000833)
2019
- Ahmed, H., Farewell, D., Francis, N. A., Paranjothy, S. and Butler, C. C. 2019. Impact of antibiotic treatment duration on outcomes in older men with suspected urinary tract infection: retrospective cohort study. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 28(6), pp. 857-866. (10.1002/pds.4791)
- Jonsdottir, S., Ahmed, H., Tómasson, K. and Carter, B. 2019. Factors associated with chronic and acute back pain in Wales, a cross-sectional study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 20(1), article number: 215. (10.1186/s12891-019-2477-4)
- Ahmed, H., Farewell, D., Jones, H. M., Francis, N. A., Paranjothy, S. and Butler, C. C. 2019. Antibiotic prophylaxis and clinical outcomes among older adults with recurrent urinary tract infection: cohort study. Age and Ageing 48(2), pp. 228-234. (10.1093/ageing/afy146)
- Ahmed, H., Farewell, D., Francis, N. A., Paranjothy, S. and Butler, C. C. 2019. Choice of empirical antibiotic therapy and adverse outcomes in older adults with suspected urinary tract infection: cohort study. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 6(3), pp. -., article number: ofz039. (10.1093/ofid/ofz039)
2018
- Ahmed, H., Farewell, D., Francis, N. A., Paranjothy, S. and Butler, C. C. 2018. Risk of adverse outcomes following urinary tract infection in older people with renal impairment: retrospective cohort study using linked health record data. PLoS Medicine 15(9), article number: e1002652. (10.1371/journal.pmed.1002652)
- Ahmed, H., Farewell, D., Jones, H. M., Francis, N. A., Paranjothy, S. and Butler, C. C. 2018. Incidence and antibiotic prescribing for clinically diagnosed urinary tract infection in older adults in UK primary care, 2004-2014. PLoS ONE 13(1), article number: e0190521. (10.1371/journal.pone.0190521)
2017
- Ahmed, H., Davies, F., Francis, N., Farewell, D., Butler, C. and Paranjothy, S. 2017. Long-term antibiotics for prevention of recurrent urinary tract infection in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ Open 7(5), pp. e015233. (10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015233)
2013
- Edwards, A. G., Naik, G., Ahmed, H., Elwyn, G., Pickles, T. E., Hood, K. and Playle, R. A. 2013. Personalised risk communication for informed decision making about taking screening tests. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013(2), article number: CD001865. (10.1002/14651858.CD001865.pub3)
- Willoughby, H., Ahmed, H., Jenkinson, R. and Edwards, A. G. 2013. GP speciality trainees’ knowledge, attitude and practice regarding risks associated with common radiological investigations. Education for Primary Care 24(5), pp. 355-362. (10.1080/14739879.2013.11494200)
2012
- Ahmed, H., Rhydderch, S. M. and Matthews, P. N. 2012. Can knowledge tests and situational judgement tests predict selection centre performance?. Medical Education 46(8), pp. 777-784. (10.1111/j.1365-2923.2012.04303.x)
- Ahmed, H., Naik, G., Willoughby, H. and Edwards, A. G. 2012. Communicating risk. British Medical Journal 344, article number: e3996. (10.1136/bmj.e3996)
- Naik, G., Ahmed, H. and Edwards, A. G. 2012. Communicating risk to patients and the public. British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) 62(597), pp. 213-216. (10.3399/bjgp12X636236)
- Ahmed, H., Rhydderch, S. M. and Matthews, P. N. 2012. Do general practice selection scores predict success at MRCGP? An exploratory study. Education for Primary Care 23(2), pp. 95-100.
- Berrill, J. W., Ahmed, H., Butt, S. and Swift, G. 2012. Reviewing a patient with coeliac disease. British Medical Journal (BMJ) 344, pp. d8152. (10.1136/bmj.d8152)
