Scientists and physicians have joined hands with an Albertawide research project with an aim to identify and treat heart failure in a better way, a condition that affects 80,000 Albertans.

The five-year provincial cardiac study is seeking 1,000 volunteers who are surviving with heart failure - an incurable disorder that engulfs one in three hospitalized sufferers within a year.

The research will focus on identifying and treating diastolic heart failure, a condition that affects 40 per cent of those diagnosed with heart failure.

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and Health Solutions, funded by the Alberta Heritage for Medical Research Endowment Fund, have reportedly divulged a whooping $5 million in the project.

"We know very little about this condition and treating it is very difficult", said Jason Dyck, co-Director of the 23-member Alberta HEART research team from the University of Alberta and University of Calgary.

Dr. Todd Anderson, Alberta Heart co-leader and professor of medicine at the University of Calgary, revealed that diastolic heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to relax properly between beats thereby failing to provide required amount of blood to the body.