View clinical trials related to Atherosclerosis.
Filter by:A study in patients with atherosclerosis to assess safety, effect and PK of rilapladib vs. placebo over 12 weeks of dosing.
This study is a comparison of two different ways to treat blockage in the artery of the thigh. The first is an older way with incisions in the groin and just above the knee. A plastic tube is then inserted to make a bypass from the groin to the knee. The second treatment offered is through a needle hole in the groin. A thin plastic tube covering a metal stent is inserted into the artery and released to bypass the blockage from inside the artery. No incisions are needed. Patients are enrolled and then selected for one treatment method or another by chance. The patients will be followed for two years to see how the two different treatment methods work compared to each other.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stent implantation in patients with symptomatic extra- and intracranial artery stenosis and to determine its role in secondary prevention of ischemic stroke.
The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effect of 40 mg dose of rosuvastatin on carotid plaque inflammation measured with MRI and PET scanning, to evaluate whether these techniques are promising for future proof of principle studies. A number of patients will receive placebo as a control.
The aim of this study is to investigate wether intracoronary use of bolus Abciximab is superior to intravenous bolus in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
The study is designed to assess safety and effects of vorapaxar, when added to standard of care (aspirin and clopidigrel), in Japanese subjects with acute coronary syndrome. The study may also provide information about the effect of vorapaxar on preventing heart attack and stroke in this subject population.
The first goal of this study is to investigate whether CE-US is able to accurately identify and quantify neovascularisation in carotid artery plaques. Since this is one of the first studies systematically evaluating the ability of ultrasound in combination with air bubbles to evaluate neovascularisation in carotid artery plaques, the examination will be performed twice with an interval of 1/2 hour on the day before surgery, thus studying the reliability of the method. The second goal of this study is to investigate whether MRI at 3.0 T with a custom-designed 3T carotid coil, using a recently developed pulse sequence, is able to accurately identify and quantify neovascularisation. And the third goal of this study is to make an intermodality comparison of CE-US and MRI regarding their ability to identify and quantify plaque neovascularisation.
An antioxidant dietary supplement made from cocoa powder, and extracts of acai, grape and blueberry will be tested for effects on blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and related parameters in human subjects.
Employees in developed societies are becoming increasingly sedentary at work and at home due to technological advances. Physical inactivity coupled with excess intake of calorie-rich foods are responsible for the epidemic of obesity. In population cohorts, physical inactivity and obesity increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Because of the impact on productivity and health care costs, many businesses and other organizations have initiated "wellness" programs, often with facilities at the work site to encourage exercise. Although these programs have often resulted in improved fitness for participants, weight loss has been more difficult to achieve. In this regard, in our initial study of NIH employees participating in NHLBI's Keep the Beat program--two-thirds of whom were overweight or obese--we found improved exercise fitness after 3 months of participation, with exercise averaging 20 minutes each work day, but no significant weight loss. Associated with greater fitness in our participants was improvement in endothelial function, an important biomarker of cardiovascular risk. Because level of fitness is a strong predictor of cardiovascular (and total) mortality in population studies, some investigators and thought leaders have proposed that it is acceptable to be "fat and fit." We found in our study, however, that exercise alone has little effect on insulin sensitivity and other biomarkers of risk, including C-reactive protein, which could limit further improvement in endothelial function and even greater risk reduction. We propose to test in this protocol whether weight loss through supervised nutritional counseling and daily exercise at worksite facilities confers health benefits beyond those achieved with improved fitness alone, such as improvement in endothelial function, arterial compliance, insulin sensitivity, markers of inflammation in blood and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) structure and function. Because obesity in a sedentary workforce environment is especially prevalent among women, with additional contribution of menopause to obesity, our study will be restricted to overweight and obese women to allow appropriate analysis in a cohort of manageable size for our testing resources. The primary endpoint will be differential improvement in endothelial function, as determined by brachial artery reactivity to shear stress, from baseline to 6 months in participants randomized to exercise coupled with weight-loss intervention versus subjects randomized to exercise alone. Secondary analyses will include comparisons of adiposity, arterial stiffness, insulin sensitivity, HDL subparticles and function, and markers of inflammation and adipokines in blood, with exploratory analyses of minorities and age/hormonal interactions. Demonstration of improved vascular function and other biomarkers of cardiovascular risk with improved fitness combined with weight loss may serve as an incentive for greater participation in organization-initiated wellness programs with emphasis both on exercise and on personalized nutritional counseling.
This study will examine the effects of treatment for hepatitis C on atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver caused by a virus that can cause permanent damage to that organ. Treatment can clear the virus in at least half of patients and reduce the risk of serious complications of the disease. Atherosclerosis is an accumulation of cholesterol and fat in the arteries that can narrow blood vessels, leading to chest pain, heart attack or stroke. Because the liver controls cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, hepatitis C infection may be a risk factor for atherosclerosis by increasing cholesterol and fat in blood vessels. Treatment of the hepatitis C may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and its consequences. This study will determine what effect hepatitis C treatment has on the rate of atherosclerosis and narrowing of blood vessels and on the risk of heart attack or stroke. Patients 30 years of age and older with current or past infection with hepatitis C may be eligible for this study. Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: - Questionnaires regarding risk factors for heart disease and stroke - Measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, weight, height, waist and hips - Blood tests - CT scans and ultrasound tests to measure the degree of blood vessel hardening and narrowing in the heart and neck region