View clinical trials related to Atherosclerosis.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to identify genes associated with certain risk factors for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and its consequences, such as development of coronary artery disease, heart attack, other blood vessel disease and stroke. People enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study in Framingham, Massachusetts, are eligible to participate in this study. They will undergo a medical history, including review of their medical records and a family history; evaluation of memory and mood; breathing test and electrocardiogram (EKG); blood and urine tests, including blood sample collection for DNA (genetic) testing; evaluation of gait (walking), balance and hand grip strength; and hearing test. They will also fill out questionnaires on their eating habits and general health. Any patients who may suffer a stroke during the study will be examined during their hospitalization and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after the stroke. This examination includes a neurological evaluation, assessment of ability to perform daily living tasks and, possibly, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, a test that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce pictures of the brain.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a combined behavioral and pharmacological intervention provided by a multidisciplinary team will further reduce LDL-C, smoking, BP and Hb-A1C in diabetic patients with A1c between 7% and 9% when compared to usual care.
The overall goal of this study is to use MRI to: - Examine the relationship between known risk factors for cardiovascular disease and coronary artery wall thickness; - Examine the relationship between coronary artery wall thickness and other markers of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis, such as carotid wall thickness and coronary calcium scores; and, - Examine the feasibility of measuring the progression of coronary artery wall thickness over time in a subset of participants.
This study will evaluate people with dyslipidemias - disorders that affect the fat content in the blood. Fats, or lipids, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, are carried in the blood in particles called lipoproteins. These particles are involved in causing blood vessel diseases that can lead to conditions like atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or heart attack. Participants will undergo accepted medical tests and procedures to evaluate their condition. Most of the test results are helpful in making a diagnosis and in guiding treatment. People with lipid disorders are eligible for this study. Representative types of patients include those with: - Plasma cholesterol levels greater than 200 mg/dl or less than 120 mg/dl - Plasma LDL-C levels greater than 130 mg/dl or less than 70 mg/dl - Plasma HDL-C levels greater than 70 mg/dl or less than 25 mg/dl - Unusual cholesterol deposits or xanthomas (nodules of lipid deposits on the skin) Children under 2 years of age are excluded from the study. Participants will undergo some or all of the following procedures: - Plasma evaluation. Apolipoproteins (plasma proteins involved in metabolism of cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, and proteins in the blood) and enzymes involved in lipid metabolism are measured. - Fat biopsy. A small sample of fat tissue is collected for examination. For this test, an area on the buttock or abdominal wall is numbed. A needle is inserted into the fat, and a small amount of tissue is sucked out by a syringe. - Leukapheresis. White blood cells are collected to help diagnose the lipid disorder. For this test, blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein, similar to donating blood. The blood circulates through a machine that separates it into its components, and the white cells are removed. The rest of the blood is returned to the body, either through the same needle or through another needle in the other arm. - Skin biopsy. Skin cells are collected for study. The cells are grown in the laboratory and the amount of cholesterol that enters or leaves the cells is measured, providing information on abnormalities in cholesterol transport. For this test, an area of skin is numbed with an anesthetic and a small circular area is removed, using a skin punch instrument similar to a sharp cookie cutter. - Heparin infusion study. Heparin, a blood thinner, releases enzymes that break down fat in the blood. Lipase activity (breakdown of fats) in the blood is measured following the injection of heparin into a vein.
This study will identify genes and proteins in the blood of patients with atherosclerosis and in that of normal volunteers. The findings will be compared to determine the influence of these substances on the development of atherosclerosis a narrowing and hardening of blood vessel walls by deposits of fatty substances. Blood vessel blockage caused by atherosclerosis can impede blood flow and cause stroke, heart attack and poor limb circulation. The information from this study may lead to better ways to detect, prevent and treat these diseases. Healthy volunteers and patients scheduled for carotid endarterectomy at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, are eligible for this study. Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure in which the inner layer of the carotid artery (neck artery supplying blood to the brain) is scraped away to open the blocked vessel. Participants will undergo the following tests and procedures: Patients - Blood sample: Collection of about 32 cc (8 tablespoons) of blood for genetic and protein analysis - Tissue sample: Collection of a piece of diseased blood vessel discarded from the endarterectomy procedure - Review of records: Review of medical records for information about past illnesses, medications, tests, and so forth, if needed Normal Volunteers - Blood samples: Collection of about 32 cc (8 tablespoons) of blood for genetic and protein analysis - Carotid artery ultrasound: Ultrasound imaging of the neck arteries for detection of any blockage - Electrocardiogram: Recording of the electrical activity of the heart to detect any abnormalities in heart rhythm - Echocardiogram: Ultrasound examination to detect possible abnormalities of the heart muscle - Cardiac stress test: Treadmill stress test to detect possible heart vessel blockage (for subjects who have not had a cardiac stress test in the past year) - Review of records: Review of medical records for information about past illnesses, medications, tests, and so forth, if needed
This is a study to compare the effect of VIA-2291 vs. Placebo on various inflammatory biomarkers in patients with carotid stenosis scheduled for elective carotid endarterectomy
Feasibility study to assess safety of treating patients with self expanding stent in intracranial arteries.
The Dallas Heart Study (DHS-1) is a large, multi-ethnic, population-based epidemiological study designed to identify determinants of atherosclerotic heart disease (ASHD) in a representative United States (US) urban environment. This study completed enrollment in 2003. Our objective is to pinpoint factors contributing to progression: 1. from health to ASHD risk; 2. from ASHD risk to subclinical ASHD; and 3. from subclinical to clinical ASHD. Identification of the critical factors in these transitions will enable targeted implementation of appropriate therapy to interdict before clinical ASHD develops.
Atherosclerosis is a condition that occurs when fatty deposits build up along the inner walls of arteries. New strategies are needed to prevent and treat atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study is to analyze the DNA of participants in two ongoing studies to identify genetic variations responsible for the development of atherosclerosis.
This study, done in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, will examine the role of genes in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients undergoing kidney dialysis. The rate of illness and death from CVD among patients on dialysis is extraordinarily high, accounting for about 50 percent of deaths. Blood levels of inflammatory markers are elevated in these patients, strongly predicting illness and death from CVD. The discovery of gene variants related to the inflammatory process in atherosclerotic CVD may lead to better medical treatments and improved survival in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Participants of John's Hopkins University's CHOICE (Choices for Healthy Outcomes in Caring for End-Stage Renal Disease) program are included in this study. Blood samples previously collected from these patients will be analyzed in the laboratory for genes that might be associated with the inflammatory process and atherogenesis.