View clinical trials related to Atherosclerosis.
Filter by:This study will determine whether an experimental drug called Rilonacept can improve artery function in patients with atherosclerosis, a disease in which fatty deposits in arteries cause the vessels to stiffen, impeding blood flow. Atherosclerosis is believed to be caused in part by inflammation. Rilonacept blocks production of a protein called CRP, which, in high levels in the blood is associated with increased inflammation. Patients with coronary artery disease who have elevated blood levels of CRP are at increased risk of heart attack, heart failure and sudden death compared with people who have lower levels of the protein. Patients 18 years of age and older with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease with a CRP level between 2 and 10 mg/L may be eligible for this study. Patients are randomly assigned to receive four doses of either Rilonacept or placebo, given at 2-week intervals as injections under the skin. In addition to treatment, patients undergo the following procedures during eight visits to the NIH Clinical Center: - Visit 1 (screening visit): Medical history, measurement of vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate), electrocardiogram (EKG) and blood tests. - Visit 2: Blood tests, chest X-ray, treadmill exercise testing, tuberculin skin test, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation is used to measure how well the brachial artery (artery inside the elbow) dilates. An ultrasound device placed just above the elbow measures the size of the brachial artery and the flow of blood through it before and after a pressure cuff is inflated around the forearm. - Visit 3: Injection of study drug. - Visits 4, 5, and 6: Review of any changes in health or medical treatment, measurement of vital signs, blood tests, EKG, injection of study drug. - Visit 7: Review of any changes in health or medical treatment, measurement of vital signs, blood tests, EKG, treadmill exercise testing, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation. - Visit 8: Review of any changes in health or medical treatment, measurement of vital signs, blood tests, EKG, treadmill exercise testing, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation.
This is a study to assess the effects of darapladib on the cardiac conduction of the heart as compared to placebo and moxifloxacin. This a four period crossover design with each period lasting about 10 days. There will be a 7 to 10 day wash out in between each period.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including acute myocardial infarction and stroke. Atherosclerosis is an important step for these events. Recent studies demonstrated the independent association between OSA and validated markers of atherosclerosis. However, the impact of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on these markers is unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine whether CPAP therapy can reverses early signs of atherosclerosis in apparently healthy OSA patients.
Recent evidence on the use of statin therapy indicates the potential for ultra-low levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) to provide greater protection from recurrent coronary heart disease (CHD) events. Thus, in August 2005, the guidelines for the treatment of lipid disorders (NCEP ATPIII) were revised to indicate that an LDL-C treatment goal of 70 mg/dL (revised from 100 mg/dL) was optional for patients with known CHD. In these same guidelines, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) are also suggested but not specifically proscribed as a target of therapy. Recently the ARBITER 2 trial has provided the first evidence of the potential of raising HDL-C with extended release niacin when added to statin monotherapy. However, whether this approach would be superior to a strategy in which lower concentrations of LDL-C are targeted is unknown. The purpose of ARBITER 6 - HALTS is to compare HDL and LDL-focused strategies of lipid treatments for their effects of atherosclerosis. This study is a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint trial comparing treatment strategies of either HDL-raising therapies or LDL reduction for dyslipidemia on carotid atherosclerosis. Subjects with known atherosclerotic coronary or vascular disease or otherwise at high cardiovascular risk through the presence of a coronary risk equivalent who are currently being treated with a statin will be eligible. Subjects will be randomly assigned in an allocation-concealed fashion to open label treatment with either Ezetimibe 10 mg/d for additional LDL-lowering OR Extended-release niacin (1 gm/d, titrated to max tolerable dose up to 2 gm/d) for HDL improvement. The effects of these 2 different strategies of intensified lipid management on atherosclerosis will be assessed by the change in the carotid intima-media thickness, a validated surrogate endpoint. The data will help guide clinicians on the potential benefits of these lipid treatment strategies.
CT of the abdomen is a very common examination performed for various indications.One of the common findings is vascular calcifications including calcifications of the renal arteries.Calcifications in the carotid arteries and coronary arteries are good predictor for obstructive atherosclerotic disease.Stenosis of the renal arteries can cause symptomatic or asymptomatic hypertension with subsequent clinical sequelae. Therefore early diagnosis of this condition is imperative. The goal of our study is to investigate the correlation between incidental calcifications of the renal arteries in CT examinations and the presence of actual stenosis of these vessels in patients with and without hypertension.
The purpose of the study is to determine if short term (6 months) treatment with statins to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in vascular disease patients with carotid plaque will be associated with a measurable reduction in carotid plaque volume using 3 Tesla MRI. The researchers will correlate the change in plaque volume to degree of LDL lowering. The researchers will also study if brief treatment will lead to change in plaque composition. The researchers will compare the change in plaque volume measured by 3T MRI with plaque burden measured by ultrasound.
Radiation induced accelerated atherosclerosis is a well known entity that occurs in different regions, according to the therapy delivered.It is usually begins to be clinically evident several years after the radiation incident, as there is sufficient functional reserve to these vessels.Our proposal is aimed to better characterize this side effect. For that purpose, we have chosen to study women who received radiation to the breast, in which part of the carotid in the irradiated side was in the high energy radiation field. We will use Intima Media Thickening ultrasound to study the pattern of atherosclerosis plaque formation in radiated carotid arteries as compared to non-irradiated carotid arteries in women who are receiving radiation therapy for breast cancer.
Family history of early atherosclerotic disease in a first-degree relative [(FDR) sibling, parent or child] is an important risk factor for coronary artery and/or vascular disease. The risk increases ~ 2 - 7 times over that of general population. Increased thickness of the intima and media of carotid arterial wall, increased rate of plaque formation is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. Also it is shown that increased level of calcium deposition in the arterial wall is also associated with increased level of coronary artery narrowing. We will assess the occurrence and severity of abnormalities of intima media thickness (IMT) and/or plaque formation and increased calcium deposition in the coronary arteries and their relation to the well known traditional risk factors (plasma glucose, smoking, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein ratio) and non-traditional risk factors (C-reactive protein, Lpa, homocysteine) in FDRs of index patients with early onset of heart or vascular disease and appropriate control population. Also to determine which of the above factor can assess IMT and Ca score better. This may help to reduce the cost of investigation, and to identify the population at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which may help the physicians to treat early on before cardiovascular complications occur. Also this may help to reduce the cost of invasive tests, hospital admissions and medical costs overall by reducing the morbidity and mortality.
The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of repeat doses of SB-659032 with placebo on platelet aggregation in subjects.
The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate that the efficacy of cangrelor (combined with usual care) is superior to that of usual care, in subjects requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as measured by a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), and ischemia-driven revascularization (IDR).