View clinical trials related to Cardiovascular Diseases.
Filter by:Impairment of the heart's pumping capacity (heart failure) remains a major clinical problem with a poor prognosis and the search for novel treatments remains an important area of research. Urocortins are proteins that appear to increase blood flow and heart pumping activity. There has been particular interest in the role of Urocortins 2 & 3 (subtypes of Urocortins) in heart failure. In this study, we will examine the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (in particular the onset-offset of action and reproducibility of vasodilator effects) of Urocortins 2 & 3 on forearm arterial blood flow healthy volunteers. Utilising the well-established technique of 'forearm venous occlusion plethysmography', we will be able to focus on the local effects of urocortins on arterial blood flow in forearm vessels, without affecting this system in the body as a whole.
Previous studies have shown that consumption of a low calorie cranberry beverage imparts a favorable impact on HDL cholesterol, LDL oxidation, and cell adhesion molecules in men. However, these studies were not well controlled. Thus, it is important to confirm these effects in a blinded, placebo-controlled feeding study. The investigators goal is to verify the cardioprotective effects of cranberries by conducting a dietary intervention trial with healthy subjects in a controlled environment.
The overall aim of the study is to compare the effects of three types of beverages - sugar-sweetened (SSB), artificially sweetened (ASB), and unsweetened (USB) - on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and body weight among young adults.
Rationale: Due to western lifestyle human coronary arteries are prone to develop atherosclerotic plaques. Hence the heart is an important target organ for atherothrombotic complications: myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias, myocardial infarction and heart failure. To alleviate symptoms and decrease mortality in these patients, myocardial revascularisation is recommended. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is indicated in patients with severe atherosclerotic disease of all three coronary arteries or the left main stem coronary artery. Cardiac ischemia and reperfusion injury during CABG is inevitable and jointly accountable for complications that occur after CABG (e.g. death, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, stroke, or renal complications). Dipyridamole has been shown to reduce ischemia reperfusion injury in healthy volunteers using an intermediate endpoint and may prevent cardiovascular death or event in secondary prevention after cerebrovascular disease. The investigators hypothesise that oral pre-treatment with dipyridamole can increase cardiac tissue tolerance against ischemia and reperfusion injury due to CABG. The investigators expect lower troponin-I release in patients who were pretreated with dipyridamole. Objective: To study the effect of oral pretreatment with dipyridamole on high sensitivity (HS)-troponin-I release after CABG. Secondary objectives are whether oral pretreatment with dipyridamole reduces postoperative CABG arrhythmias, prolonged inotropic support, and duration of Intensive Care-stay. Further secondary endpoints are the effects of dipyridamole pretreatment on renal injury and post-ischemic recovery of contractile function (measured ex-vivo). Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that oral pre-treatment with dipyridamole can increase cardiac tissue tolerance against ischemia and reperfusion injury. The investigators expect lower HS-troponin-I release in patients who were pretreated with dipyridamole. Additionally the investigators expect the incidence of arrhythmias, need for prolonged inotropic support (longer than 24 hours postoperative) to be decreased in pretreated patients.
Human studies of Chinese liquor are sparse. The investigators hypothesize that short-term Chinese Tea-flavor liquor (TFL) consumption may be beneficial to inflammation biomarkers and CVD risk factors. Guizhou Meijiao Liquor (GML) is a traditional Chinese liquor, fermented from sorghum, corn, sticky rice, wheat and rice, while TFL is a novel Chinese liquor fermented from above 5 grains plus green tea. Forty-five volunteers(23 males, 22 females) were selected to participate a paralleled randomized trial drinking 30 mL two kinds of Chinese liquors: TFL and GML respectively with meal every day for 28 days. Serums of volunteers were collected for analyzing serum lipids, inflammation biomarkers and CVD risk factors. TFL could significantly decrease systolic blood pressure of males, but increase diastolic blood pressure of females. TFL could also decreased blood lipid of volunteers, especially for females. Both liquor significantly decrease serum uric acid and glucose in males and females. The effect of the two liquors on inflammation biomarkers were complicated and needs further research work. TFL may possess more beneficial effect on CVD risk factors than GML probably because of the special fermentation products of green tea with other grains.
The objectives of this study are the following: 1) to determine the effect of daily consumption of whole grain barley for six week on risk factors of cardiovascular disease compared to a diet low in whole grains, and 2) to compare the effects of daily consumption of whole grain barley to those of whole grain oats for six weeks to determine if the response to these two grains is different.
The purpose of this study is to document differences between men and women in changes in metabolic variables associated with cardiovascular risk in response to a 4 weeks isocaloric controlled nutritional intervention based on the Mediterranean diet in which all foods and drinks are provided to subjects. The investigators hypothesize that the decrease in LDL-cholesterol will be more important in men than in women.
There will be no significant differences in the efficacy and tolerability between the test and reference formulations of atorvastatin 20 mg in these Korean adults with primary hypercholesterolemia.
The objectives of this study are the following: 1) to determine the acute effect of whole grain barley on risk factors of cardiovascular disease compared to a diet low in whole grain, and 2) to compare the effects of whole grain barley to those of whole grain oats to determine if the response to these two grains is similar.
The study has been designed to assess the effect of cyclooxygenase inhibition on blood pressure, cerebral blood flow, ventilation and renal hemodynamics following chronic intermittent hypoxia exposure.