View clinical trials related to Vascular Diseases.
Filter by:In the first phase, to establish the relationship of progression of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) to plasma homocysteine. In the second phase, to conduct a randomized, controlled trial of folic acid treatment of plasma homocysteine in peripheral vascular disease.
The Veterans Administration Patient Study examined the progression of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with large vessel PAD or isolated small vessel PAD. The Community Follow-up Study following subjects with and without PAD from a previous cohort to determine subsequent coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.
To determine the incidence of type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease among Mexican-American and non-Hispanic whites in a 15 to 24 year follow-up of the San Antonio Heart Study 1 participants. Also, to perform a 15 to 24 year mortality follow-up of the cohort and to examine the "Hispanic paradox".
To test the hypothesis that increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and cancer is related to diets high in saturated fat, animal protein, and hydrogenated vegetable oil, and low in polyunsaturated fat, fiber, vitamins A, C, and E, calcium, selenium, and chromium.
To determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in a defined population by non-invasive techniques; to evaluate the association of cardiovascular disease risk factors with peripheral vascular disease; to determine whether non-invasive tests of peripheral arterial disease can be utilized as markers for coronary heart disease; to determine the status of the microvasculature using conjunctival photographs and to compare the results with risk factors and the peripheral arterial disease testing results.
The Framingham Heart Study was initiated to study the factors associated with the development of cardiovascular disease by employing long-term surveillance of an adult population in Framingham, Massachusetts. The Framingham Offspring Study was initiated to assess familial and genetic factors as determinants of coronary heart disease.
This study will determine the effects of hormone replacement therapy (estrogen alone or estrogen and progesterone) on the walls of arteries in postmenopausal women. Inflammation and stiffness of artery walls are two risk factors for atherosclerosis-deposits of fatty substances (plaques) that can block the vessel, causing a heart attack or stroke. Estrogen raises the levels of certain substances in the blood that cause vessel inflammation and lowers the levels of others. This study will measure the net effects of estrogen on artery wall inflammation and stiffness. Postmenopausal women in good health may participate in this study. Volunteers will be screened for eligibility with a complete medical history, heart examination, and blood tests. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either: 1) hormone therapy (estradiol 2 mg daily alone for women who have had a hysterectomy or estradiol plus micronized progesterone 200 mg daily for women with an intact uterus); or 2) placebo (look-alike pills that contain no active drug). Women in both groups will take pills for 3 months, then no pills for 1 month, and then will crossover to the alternate therapy for 3 months (i.e., those in the original placebo group will take hormones, and those in the hormone group will take placebo). At the end of each 3-month treatment period, participants will undergo the following procedures to assess blood vessel inflammation and stiffness: 1. Blood tests - 60 cc (about 2 ounces) of blood will be drawn to measure levels of hormones, cholesterol, and substances in the blood that indicate inflammation of the vessels. 2. Ultrasonography - an ultrasound probe will be applied gently on the neck to image the right and left carotid arteries (arteries in the neck that lead to the brain). During the procedure, the heart's electrical activity will also be monitored with an electrocardiogram and a blood pressure cuff will be wrapped around the arm to obtain blood pressure measurements every 5 minutes. 3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - Images of the carotid arteries are taken while the volunteer lies on a table in a narrow cylinder containing a magnetic field. A padded sensor called an MRI coil is placed over the neck and earplugs are placed in the ears to muffle the loud noise of the machine during scanning. During the second half of the exam, gadolinium is injected through a catheter (thin, flexible tube) inserted into a vein. Gadolinium is a contrast agent that is used to brighten the scan images. Information from this study will increase knowledge about the effects of estrogen on vessel wall inflammation. As such, it may be used in the future to help guide decisions about chronic hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women.
This study will examine the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting blood vessel inflammation. The results of this study may later be applied to diagnosing inflammation of arteries in patients with atherosclerosis, predicting disease progression in these patients, and guiding therapy. Patients with peripheral artery disease (for example, blockage of a leg artery) undergoing balloon angioplasty at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, may be eligible to participate in this study. Because this procedure, which opens blocked arteries, can cause inflammation in the vessel wall, it affords an opportunity for studying MRI detection of such inflammation. Study candidates will be screened with a medical history and physical examination. Participants will have a MRI scan and blood drawn at Suburban Hospital before the angioplasty and again either 1 to 3 days or 2 weeks after the procedure. Before the MRI scan is begun, a catheter (a thin plastic tube) is inserted in an arm vein and 90 milliliters (about 3 ounces) of blood is drawn. The patient then lies on a table that slides into the MRI scanner-a large donut-shaped machine with a magnetic field. A flexible, padded sensor called an MRI coil is placed over the area to be imaged; this device is used to improve the quality of the pictures. During the scan a contrast material called gadolinium is injected through the catheter. Gadolinium brightens the image of the blood vessels. The procedure lasts up to 2 hours.
Effective treatment and prevention strategies for childhood stroke and porencephaly can only be developed once the causes are understood. There is increasing evidence that inherited and acquired coagulation abnormalities alone or in combination with environmental factors, predispose to arterial and venous thrombosis. Inherited abnormalities of factor V Leiden, prothrombin, protein C, protein S, and antithrombin III may account for many of these thromboses. At present there is little information on the existing distribution of these coagulation anomalies in children with thrombosis. Recent reports also suggest that these clotting abnormalities may be responsible for some instances of intracranial hemorrhage, porencephaly, cerebral palsy and fetal death. This study will measure the frequency of several coagulation factor abnormalities (factor V Leiden, prothrombin 20210A, protein C, protein S, antithrombin III, and antiphospholipid antibodies) in children with a history of porencephaly and stroke, and will compare these to the prevalence of these mutations in population controls and family members. We will also describe the exogenous conditions which in concert with these coagulation factors, may have led to the development of thrombosis in these children....
An important mission of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is to develop and carry out research studies designed to improve understanding of disease processes and treatments. Clinical research continues to become more focused on specific diseases and the signs and symptoms of diseases in specific groups of people and patients. This study is designed to permit inpatient evaluation and care of patients with heart disease who do not qualify to participate in research studies being conducted by the Cardiology Branch of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). These patients are valuable to the Cardiology Branch of the NHLBI because they help to improve training and experience of its researchers.