View clinical trials related to Cardiovascular Diseases.
Filter by:Specific cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke and heart attack, have been shown to vary by ethnic group. However, less is known about differences between ethnic groups and a wider range of cardiovascular diseases. This study will examine differences between ethnic groups (White, Black, South Asian and Mixed/Other) and first lifetime presentation of twelve different cardiovascular diseases. This information may help to predict the onset of cardiovascular diseases and inform disease prevention strategies. The hypothesis is that different ethnic groups have differing associations with the range of cardiovascular diseases studied.
African American women have among the highest rates of overweight and obesity and few meet dietary or physical activity guidelines. The investigators seek to develop a new intervention strategy that will help alleviate health disparities, thereby improving quality of life, health care costs, and disease burden. The African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network (AACORN) recommends an eco-social, community-engaged approach to behavior change that is in line with cultural values of interconnectedness and care for others. The purpose of this study is to operationalize the AACORN paradigm to promote improvements in weight status and health through a civic engagement approach. To achieve this, participants will meet in church-based Change Clubs and be led through a 6 month curriculum, which includes both lessons in cardiovascular risk reduction and a civic engagement project. Civic engagement may lead to change in individual health behaviors by increasing self-regulation and self-efficacy. The investigators will measure club members' adherence to the Change Club intervention, defined as average number of sessions attended, retention in the clubs, satisfaction with the Change Club experience and achievement of at least 50% of self-identified benchmarks for community change within 6 months. In addition the investigators will compare anthropometric factors, diet and physical activity behaviors, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and psychosocial factors before and after participation in the Change Club intervention.
Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces (HSC) extract is consumed in different parts of the world as a cold or hot drink and is available in the United Kingdom (UK) markets in different forms including tea bags. There is preliminary data that support the hypothesis that HSC extract consumption has beneficial effect on blood vessel health and blood pressure reduction. Hypertension, vascular dysfunction, inflammation and lipid abnormalities are all key modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the leading causes of death throughout the world. In the PHYTOVAS (PHYTOchemicals and VAScular Function) study the effect of the acute consumption a potentially bioactive food extracts: Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces (HSC) compared with a matched control (water) on blood pressure and blood vessels function will be investigated after a high - fat mixed meal. This is with a view to determining the impacts of the extract on postprandial (after meal) blood pressure and other CVD risk factors. Results from the PHYTOVAS study could lead to identification of more dietary approaches that will contribute to CVD risk prevention and management.
The long-term goal of the proposed research is to identify and develop effective interventions to decrease persistent, low-level inflammation and risk of CVD. Stress is a substantial contributor to inflammation, and interactions among stress, inflammation, body mass index, and health behaviors have been measured. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is effective for stress reduction, has been shown to be effective for inflammation reduction in individuals with disease, and is a sustainable practice for individuals across the health spectrum. Diet strategies are an effective means of reducing inflammation for some individuals, but may not be successful for many people, as evidenced by the steady rise in obesity rates. The specific aims of this study are to 1) test the effectiveness of MBSR compared to an established intervention of a nutrition enhancement (NE) intervention for the reduction of inflammation, and 2) test the effectiveness of MBSR compared to a non-intervention control conditions (CON) for the reduction of inflammation. Men and women 25-45 years of age will be randomly assigned to participate in MBSR (n=60) or DIET (n=60) or CON (n=60) interventions for 16 weeks. Serum CRP concentrations, additional inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-a, interleukin-6), cortisol diurnal profiles, anthropometrics, dietary intake, and all components of the metabolic syndrome will be measured pre- and post-intervention to elucidate underlying mechanisms and to determine whether health benefits beyond inflammation reduction occur.
Orthotopic heart transplantation is a well established therapeutic measure for end stage heart failure, leading to significant improvements in survival and quality of life. In the routine clinical practice, orthotopic heart transplantation patients receive periodic cardiac catheterization for early detection of allograft vascular disease. The coronary angiography of these patients is characterized for several technical difficulties, generally related to the presence of the aortotomy with anomalous implantation of the coronary ostia and to the orthotopic position of the allograft. For these reasons, trans femoral approach is usually preferred. In the last two decades, trans radial approach for coronary angiography emerged to be effective, safe and able to improve patient comfort. However, there is no universal consensus on the optimal choice of radial access from either the left or the right artery. Currently, this choice is largely dependent on the operator's preference. The trans right radial approach is generally preferred in routine clinical practice mainly due to its easier catheter manipulation for the operators from patient's right side, and the current design of radial compression devices for the right wrist in medical market. As such, a major barrier to prevent the wide adoption of the left radial access lies in some difficulty to reach the left wrist leaning over the patient, particularly for shorter operators or in obese patients. However, a great deal of attention has been recently directed toward the trans left radial access, as it has an important anatomical advantage due to the vascular anatomy of epiaortic vessels with a straighter route to the left coronary ostium, which could also reduce the risk of cerebrovascular complications. However, no data are available about the performance of trans left radial or trans-right radial approach in coronary angiography orthotopic heart transplantation patients. However, in this particular setting of patients, the left radial approach might reduce the technical difficulties related to the anatomical variations. In this single centre, prospective, randomized study, we sought to compare trans right radial versus trans left radial approach in terms of amount of contrast medium, radiation exposure, number of catheters used, cross over to the other access site rate and local and systemic complications in orthotopic heart transplantation patients.
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease suffer from significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study wants to determine whether chronic obstructive pulmonary disease might be a risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis and other cardiac markers independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors. The study is designed as a retrospective matched case-control study with follow-up via telephone interview.
The objective was to compare the frequency and intensity of symptoms of fear in patients of preoperative cardiac surgery who received empathic behaviour from nurse or those who received no specific type of empathic behaviour. This is a randomized clinical trial. The sample consisted of 44 patients in preoperative of cardiac surgery, who were divided in two groups: empathic behaviour by nurses and without specific empathic behaviour. Fear was assessed at two time points: before and after the intervention. The instrument used was developed and validated, comprising 15 defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis fear. The hypothesis is that the group who received empathic behaviour from nurse will reduce the anxiety.
The proposed research aims to examine whether regular aerobic exercise can preserve renal function, improve aerobic capacity, physical and psychosocial function, strength, cardiovascular function, general well-being and quality of life. Ultimately, the research aims to prove that exercise is a more cost-effective and a more efficient use or healthcare resources used in the treatment of patients with CKD. Exercise is a relatively cheap treatment option which is readily available and accessible for this patient population. establish if, compared with usual care, an exercise programme for pre-dialysis CKD patients; 1. Preserves renal function. 2. Improves aerobic capacity, physical and psychosocial function, strength, cardiovascular function, general well-being and quality of life.
The hypothesis of this study is that the daily consumption of 480 ml tart cherry juice for twelve weeks will improve blood pressure and arterial stiffness by improving endothelial-mediated vasodilation and vascular sympathetic activity and favorably altering biochemical markers associated with cardiovascular risk. 28 men and women between the ages of 20 and 40 who have three of the five features of metabolic syndrome as defined by the Adult Treatment Panel III will be included in the study. After a two-week run-in phase, eligible men and women will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: 1) 480 ml tart cherry juice or 2) 480 ml control drink daily for twelve weeks. After an initial telephone screening, all participants will be requested to report to the study site for their first visit. On the first visit (screening), participants will be provided with verbal and written explanation of the project. They will then be asked to sign an informed consent form, followed by measuring waist circumference, resting brachial blood pressure, fasting serum triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose levels to confirm metabolic syndrome. Baseline assessments will be performed for medical history, medication use, dietary intake, and physical activity. Qualified participants will be scheduled for their second visit two weeks later (actual baseline data collection) and randomly assigned to their treatment group. On the second (baseline) visit between the hours of 7-10 A.M., blood pressure and vascular function will be measured followed by blood draw. Anthropometrics will be measured. Participants will be provided with their assigned treatment and will receive standard instructions on how to fill out daily diaries for their treatment, and for food and physical activity records. Blood pressure, vascular function, blood draw, and anthropometric, body composition, diet, and physical activity assessments will be repeated at 6- (third visit), and 12-week (final visit) intervals. All cardiovascular measurements will be performed between 7:00 to 10:00 A.M., in a quiet temperature-controlled room in the supine position after an overnight fast and 12 hours after the abstinence of caffeine and/or 24 hours after the last bout of moderate to heavy physical activity.
Older adults living in subsidized housing report poorer health. Their age and low income make it harder for them to use community services. Many older adults have heart disease and diabetes, which lead to frequent emergency calls and hospital admissions. To decrease the costs of treating heart disease and diabetes through emergency and hospitalization, improved screening and health education is needed. Our program will take place in communal areas within housing buildings of older adults and deliver a heart disease, diabetes, and falls risk check-up with health education. This is expected to improve the health of older adults leading to fewer emergency calls and hospital visits.