View clinical trials related to Heart Disease.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to determine whether lipoprotein(a), also called Lp(a), is a risk factor for cardiovascular (heart) disease. Lipoproteins are tiny particles that circulate in the blood. They contain cholesterol, fat, and protein in varying amounts depending on the body's need. Higher levels of lipoproteins in the blood can cause an increased risk of heart disease. The investigators believe that by studying the Lp(a) lipoprotein in Caucasians and African Americans, the investigators can assess for genetic variation factors related to cardiovascular (heart) disease. The investigators will be looking at 100 African-American families and 100 Caucasian families to confirm whether a higher Lp(a) level is an indicator of a higher risk for heart disease.
The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the prevalence of biological aspirin resistance in women at risk for CHD taking low dose (81 mg) aspirin. Aspirin responsiveness will be measured with the VerifyNow device (Accumetrics; San Diego, CA). Those women identified as biologically resistant will be switched to aspirin 325 mg for 14 days and then re-tested for aspirin responsiveness.
The purpose of this study is to assess the efficiency of permanent biventricular pacing using three ventricular leads in terms of reduction in adverse cardiac events rates, improvement in cardiac capacity and patients' functional status in subjects with congestive heart failure and a physiologic (sinus) rhythm.
ABSTRACT Although most primary healthcare practitioners recognize the important relationship among nutrition, physical activity and health, few incorporate either dietary or physical activity counseling into routine practice. AUGMENT will employ interactive technology to support effective patient life-style counseling during routine office visits. AUGMENT technology will automate the administration, collection, and analysis of dietary and physical activity questionnaires, and it will guide counseling and present intervention resources and strategies tailored to the patient's unique needs. Using tablet computers, wireless LANs, and inexpensive Internet communications, AUGMENT will have advantages over existing tools: 1.) Lower usage costs (minimal office personal required), 2.) Ability to customize the system, and 3.) Real-time, comprehensive assessment. The AUGMENT system efficiently and relentlessly gathers important healthcare information (such as total fat, type of fat consumption; fruit and vegetable consumption; fiber and micronutrient intake; and energy output). This means patients are less likely to have their preventive needs overlooked by a busy practitioner. The assessment includes questions to determine the amount of effort the patient will commit to improved health. This will enable the physician to effectively guide the patient via targeted recommendations, obtainable goals, and a course of action that is both preventive and prescriptive; and to monitor progress. Patients who receive objective assessments of their healthcare practices and recommendations based on their own unique health history will be more likely to accept and act on the recommendations. The specific aims of the study are to: 1) Incorporate key elements of a previously developed prototype tool into a dietary and physical activity risk assessment system, 2) Create a provider training tool to build proficiency in using AUGMENT for counseling to reduce disease risk. 3) Validate the AUGMENT dietary and physical activity assessments using dietary recalls and accelerometer data, 4) Complete a process evaluation of the AUGMENT program by using it in interventions managed by six physicians with at least 240 patients, and 5) Survey participating providers and patients to assess acceptability of AUGMENT within a clinical setting.
This is a study of the effects of 3 oz almonds added daily to a National Cholesterol Education Program Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet in improving endothelial function in patients with Coronary Artery Disease. The study seeks to determine if these effects are mediated via an increase in Nitric Oxide synthesis and reductions in dyslipidemia and systemic inflammation. Vascular reactivity will be assessed via flow mediated dilation with endothelium-independent and hyperemic flow measured in the right brachial artery by non-invasive 2-dimensional and Doppler ultrasound. Serum will be collected and analyzed for biomarkers of dyslipidemia, inflammation, endothelial function, vascular reactivity and oxidative stress.
The Cardiac Allograft Rejection Gene Expression Observational (CARGO) II Study is designed to provide independent evidence of the clinical performance of the non-invasive AlloMap test. Sensitive detection of cardiac allograft rejection and dysfunction is the basis for successful recipient management. The CARGO II Study will assess the correlation between the presence or absence of acute cellular rejection as determined by examination of endomyocardial biopsy specimens with results from the AlloMap Test. Of 17 participating transplant centers, 4 are in North America and 13 are in Europe.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a retrofit particle trap can reduce the adverse vascular responses to diesel exhaust inhalation
A robust release of endothelin-1-1 (ET) with subsequent ETA subtype receptor (ET-AR) activation occurs in patients following cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Increased ET-AR activation has been identified in patients with poor left ventricular (LV) function (reduced ejection fraction; EF). Accordingly, this study tested the hypothesis that a selective ET-AR antagonist (ET-ARA) administered peri-operatively would favorably affect post-CPB hemodynamic profiles in patients with a pre-existing poor LVEF.
The BioImage Study is a study of the characteristics of subclinical cardiovascular disease, as measured by imaging modalities, unsupervised circulating biomarker measurements, and risk factors that predict progression to overt clinical cardiovascular disease, in a diverse, population-based sample of 7,300 men (aged 55-80) and women (aged 60-80). The socio-demographics of the study population aims to mirror the US population as a whole with approximately 69% of the cohort will be white, 12% African-American, 13% Hispanic, 4% Asian, predominantly of Chinese descent and 2% other (U.S. Census Bureau: 2000). The cohort will be recruited from the Humana Health Plan membership represented in three major US markets; Chicago, Illinois, Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Florida. Of the 7,300 participants, 6,000 will be characterized with respect to their Framingham risk score and various imaging features including coronary calcification, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), presence of atherosclerotic plaques, and lower extremity vascular insufficiency as determined by the ankle brachial index (ABI). Blood samples will be assayed for putative biomarkers using a variety of methodologies including unsupervised proteomic and metabolomic profiling of plasma, RNA expression profiling and candidate gene analysis or genome wide scanning. These approaches will also be combined with targeted assays for particular analytes. Biological samples will be banked at the time of collection for these analyses and for additional follow on case-control and validation studies. Participants will be followed for identification and characterization of cardiovascular disease events, including acute myocardial infarction and other forms of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), and stroke; mortality; and for cardiovascular disease interventions. The remaining 1,300 subjects will be evaluated and followed in a similar manner except no imaging studies will be conducted. The study will be conducted using an innovative infrastructure and method of participant recruitment and enrollment. Mobile clinics containing the imaging equipment will travel to the three markets included in the study. The mobile clinic configuration allows for a high level of consistency in the data measurements which will be collected from diverse geographic areas and populations. Participants will be recruited based on claims monitoring to pre-determine eligibility. The baseline examinations of the 7,300 participants will occur over a 12-month period. Based on particular findings (Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) score, Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (IMT), atherosclerotic plaque, Ankle Brachial Index (ABI), and presence of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), approximately 3,000 participants of the 6,000 imaging cohort will be referred for higher resolution imaging modalities to better characterize their arterial disease. This additional imaging will also be conducted at the mobile clinics and occur during the same 12-month period. Participants will be contacted every 6-months throughout the 3-year study to assess cardiovascular events, clinical morbidity and mortality, and to obtain additional blood samples.
Comparison of two operative techniques (on-pump vs off-pump)of coronary revascularisation of the best treatment concept for patients older or 75 years old. Hypothesis: The coronary bypass operation without use of the heart-lung machine (off-pump=OPCAB) reduces the combined endpoint in comparison with the conventional coronary bypass operation (on-pump).