View clinical trials related to Atherosclerosis.
Filter by:A prospective study of 700 patients with coronary artery disease will undergo non invasive evaluation of their carotid arteries by ultrasound and microwave radiometry. The patients will be followed up for 3 years and their outcome regarding the cardiovascular events (death, cardiac events, cerebrovascular events) will be recorded
The medical device "Vascular Join" represents a new anastomotic technology that should reduce the inter-surgeons variability in anastomosis construction and increase the performances in terms of results. It allows a perfect mechanical anastomosis without suture, avoiding the disadvantages of operation length and difficulty of the act, thrombosis, clamping and embolism. The "Vascular Join" creates automatically the connection between the vein or prosthesis at both ends and bridging the artery while preventing the passage of the needle and suture through the vessel wall and clamping pressure. This makes it very easy to construct a vascular anastomosis using the endoscopic technique less traumatic for the patient, lessen the pain of the patient, thereby reducing health care costs by reducing the length of hospital stay. No part of the device is in contact with the patient's blood because the whole system remains in the thickness of the arterial wall and outside the vessel. Thus, the formation of intimal hyperplasia is greatly diminished and the risk of occlusion of the anastomosis is less than the currently available risk when a suture is used. This risk is shown by studies on animals in labs, with a mean follow up of 12 months. The Vascular Join creates a perfect congruence of anastomosed vessels because it allows a perfect match between each vascular tunic. The medical device Vascular Join has been designed in order to: - Reduce the suture time; - Reduce the risk of occlusion of vein after the surgical process; - Avoid the contact risk between the external material steel (surgical needle) and blood; - Standardize the quality of anastomoses independently of the skill of the surgeon.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether matrix metalloproteinases are associated with atherosclerosis in the different stages of chronic kidney disease.
Although it is frequently mentioned in the media that overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions worldwide and in this country, some Canadians are perplexed and sometimes confused about the role of obesity in diabetes and heart disease. In fact, the investigators even hear from time to time that there could be "healthy" obese individuals. In clinical practice, assessment of obesity as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a challenge as even some physicians are confused. However, studies conducted in our laboratory and by other research teams around the world over the last 20 years have clearly shown that body shape is more important than body size when evaluating the risk of overweight/obesity and that high accumulation of abdominal fat (excess belly fat) increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The investigators now need to better understand the link between excess belly fat and atherosclerosis (the thickening of artery walls by fatty deposits, also referred to as atherosclerotic plaque), leading to complications such as angina (chest pain) and myocardial infarction (heart attacks). Using non-invasive imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging, the investigators therefore propose to examine the relationships between measures of fatness and of abdominal fat and the size of atherosclerotic plaque in large blood vessels of apparently healthy human subjects. This study is also a unique opportunity to look, for the first time, at the relationship between belly fat, blood sugar, several well-known risk factors for heart disease (cholesterol, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, etc.) and the size of atherosclerotic plaques. This research program should pave the way to the development of new improved preventive/therapeutic approaches focusing not on body weight but rather on abdominal fat and associated blood abnormalities which are predictive of the development of atherosclerotic plaques leading to the premature development of heart disease.
The Canadian Atherosclerosis Imaging Network (CAIN) is a pan-canadian imaging network funded through grants from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This unique research network is focused on the pathobiology of atherosclerotic disease as it pertains to the coronary and carotid circulations. The CAIN research program involves the creation of a unique national network focused on in vivo imaging of vessel wall disease, combined with imaging of occult end-organ disease as well as the acquisition of clinical and pathological end points. CAIN enables unprecedented cross-sectional and longitudinal clinical studies of patients with atherosclerotic disease in coronary or carotid vascular beds, and has established an international resource for studying the natural history, progression, regression and novel therapeutic interventions aimed at atherosclerosis. The primary outcome of this study is to accurately characterise carotid plaque morphology in non-surgical patients with mild to severe (30-95%) carotid disease. The investigators will also assess evidence of ischaemic brain disease. Patients will undergo MRI scanning of the brain and carotid and US scanning of the carotid at baseline and thereafter at 1 and 2 years or sooner if presenting clinically in order to monitor the natural history of carotid atherosclerosis and its effect on end-organ brain disease. Patients will consent to baseline scanning and follow up at 1 and 2 years, and databasing of clinical and imaging data. After each imaging session images will be processed, stored locally and also sent to a central repository. 500 patients will be recruited over a 2 year period in anticipation of study completion within 4 years.
To evaluate the prognostic value of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) for risk stratification in asymptomatic adults in comparison with conventional risk stratification (CRS) and coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS).
Background: - Imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can provide information about heart and blood vessels. The tests let doctors can see the amount of blood vessel narrowing and vessel wall thickness. This information may help diagnose and treat heart disease and other conditions that lead to heart attacks. Better MRI methods are needed to improve heart disease diagnosis, especially by avoiding the use of radiation. Researchers are testing new techniques to improve the quality of heart MRI, compared with more complex studies like catheterization or angiography. Objectives: - To compare heart MRI techniques with other tests used to diagnose heart disease. Eligibility: - People at least 18 years of age who either have or may have heart disease, or are healthy volunteers. Design: - Participants will be screened with a physical exam, medical history, and blood tests. - They will have an angiography to study the inside of blood vessels. This test is an x-ray study of the blood vessels. It will be done either separately or as part of a set of tests to diagnose possible heart disease. - Participants will have at least one and up to five MRI scans. The scans will involve different methods of studying the heart and blood vessels. Participants may also have a computed tomography scan to confirm the findings of an MRI scan. - No treatment will be provided as part of this protocol.
The study aims at pooling a large population of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography (CTCA) and who were adequately stratified in the first place. Then the investigators will be able to assess the incremental value of CTCA in the stratification of prevalence of disease (non obstructive/obstructive) and prognosis of patients with suspected CAD). The added information to current evidence is how reliable and to what extent CTCA can define the actual burden of disease and cardiovascular risk.
This multicentre, open-label, single-arm Study is to evaluate the effect of Rosuvastatin 20 mg 76 weeks on coronary atherosclerosis plaque versus baseline in Chinese coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with hyperlipidemia by measuring the plaque volume using a 64 slice spiral CT. Effect on blood lipids, hsCRP and Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is also evaluated.
The primary objective of this study is, to instigate a reduction in atherosclerotic burden within the carotid arteries in the intervention group compared to the control group and to demonstrate parallel improvements in cardiovascular and overall health status relative to usual care