Active clinical trials for "Acute Coronary Syndrome"

Patients admitted to hospital with chest pain due to reduced blood flow to heart muscle (diagnosis Acute Coronary Syndrome) can be treated with medication and an angioplasty ± stent procedure, which restores blood flow to the heart. Antiplatelet drugs (Aspirin and Clopidogrel) are blood thinning treatments and research has reported they reduce heart attacks, death and stroke. The investigators know some patients do not respond fully to Clopidogrel but currently patients are not tested for this. The investigators wish to perform a trial to identify those patients who do not respond fully to Clopidogrel and randomise them to either Prasugrel (newer drug) or a higher dose of Clopidogrel. Patients admitted to the hospitals (2 in the UK and 1 in Germany) will be asked for their consent to participate. A blood sample is tested for platelet activity. Low platelet activity result means patient has responded well to Clopidogrel and will continue on the routine dose. They will be entered into an observational registry. Data will be collected of routine blood tests and investigations, medication and procedures. Their GP will be contacted at about 30 days to see if they are alive. High platelet activity results means patient has not responded fully to Clopidogrel. These patients will be randomly allocated to a higher dose of Clopidogrel or new drug Prasugrel. Data will be collected of routine blood tests and investigations, medication and procedures. A hospital visit at 30±5 days is required to assess how patients are doing, medications and occurrence of any events.

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether dabigatran reduces clopidogrel mediated ADP induced platelet aggregation measured by MEA as compared to phenprocoumon after a two-week treatment with either agent.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is a test that can be performed at the time of heart catheterization. It measures the change in pressure across a narrowing in the heart artery during high flow situation, and provides reliable information about the functional severity of the narrowing. FFR measurements accurately predict whether a stent is needed, and is considered an excellent test before placement of stents to treat narrowed heart arteries. However, FFR is not used in every case because of the extra time needed and the associated device costs. Cardiac Services BC (an agency of Provincial Health Services Authority) is sponsoring this study to find out if FFR should be used in most cases (routine), rather than the current selective approach.

The aim of the study is to learn more about the pathophysiology of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to evaluate the mechanisms responsible of the action and benefits of ticagrelor. Ticagrelor is an oral and reversible inhibitor of P2Y12 receptor. Few information is available about the action of ticagrelor on the molecules involved in thrombogenesis and platelets activation in ACS. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mechanisms of ticagrelor action in vivo. It was observed that patients with myocardial infarction have higher blood levels of microparticles than patients with unstable angina or stable angina. The investigators assumed that ticagrelor benefits are represented by a reduction of microparticle levels, a marker of endothelial dysfunction in patients with cardiovascular disease, and by a modification in microRNAs pattern, fragments of mRNA that have a regulatory action in various cellular processes (such as proliferation, differentiation, growth and cellular death) and represent new biomarkers in ACS.

To investigate how platelets recover to normal function in subjects who have symptoms of a heart attack or unstable angina and who get a loading dose of prasugrel or clopidogrel for planned coronary angiography.

The purpose of this study is to assess the bleeding safety (the composite endpoint of major and clinically relevant non-major bleeding) of 2 doses of apixaban (2.5 mg BID and 5.0 mg BID) or placebo in combination with standard therapy (aspirin and /or additional antiplatelet therapy) over a 24 week treatment period in selected subjects with recent (≤7 days) acute coronary syndrome.

Acute heart failure (HF) is a common complication of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) associated with poor prognosis. Diagnosis of congestive HF in patients with initial, non-severe symptoms and signs may be challenging and early stages of this complication may be missed. To assess severity of HF in patients with ACS Killip classification is widely used but it does not take into account mild manifestations of HF. Thus, patients without rales in the lungs and/or S3 will be labelled as Killip class 1. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency, risk factors, abilities for early diagnosis using routine medical evaluation and clinical significance of subclinical and mildly symptomatic congestive HF in patients with ACS without persistent ST-segment elevation (NSTEACS). The study will include 200 patients with NSTEACS without history of severe HF and overt signs of congestion at presentation. Presence and severity of dyspnea (according to Likert ans Visual analog scales), physical signs of heart failure (respiratory rate, distention of jugular veins, S3), peripheral oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry, heart rate and signs of ischemia on ECG, signs of congestion according to lung and vena cava inferior ultrasound and chest X-Ray/CT as well as levels of NT-proBNP, hsTn, CRP and FABP at presentation will be evaluated. Presence and severity of dyspnea, physical signs of heart failure, oxygen saturation, heart rate and signs of ischemia on ECG, lung and vena cava inferior ultrasound will be re-assessed after 6, 12 and 24 hours. During hospitalization occurrence or worsening of clinical HF. Clinical events will be followed up to 12 months after hospitalization.

The Siemens POC High Sensitivity Troponin-I Test System is an in vitro diagnostic test for the quantitative measurement of cardiac troponin I (cTn-I) in fresh human capillary (fingerstick) whole blood, and lithium-heparinized venous whole blood or plasma, to be used by healthcare professionals at the point of care (POC) as well as in the clinical laboratory. The Siemens POC High Sensitivity Troponin-I Test System is to be used as an aid in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI).

Currently, fractional flow reserve (FFR) is regarded as a gold-standard invasive method to define lesion-specific ischemia and FFR-guided PCI has been proven to reduce unnecessary revascularization and to enhance patient's clinical outcomes. Therefore, current guidelines recommend FFR measurement for intermediate coronary stenosis when there is no definite evidence of lesion-specific ischemia. However, previous evidences which well demonstrated the benefit of FFR-guided strategy were mostly generated from patients with stable coronary artery disease.4 FFR may be overestimated and the hemodynamic relevance of a coronary stenosis underestimated in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Its role in ACS patients still needs to be defined although several studies have recently published addressing the value of FFR-guided PCI in ACS. In fact, recent evidence suggests that culprit lesions of patients presenting with a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction that were deferred based on a "negative" FFR have a relatively high event rate, calling into question the use of FFR in that patient population.

Same day discharge is safe and feasible in selected troponin negative patients undergoing coronary planned percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or ad hoc PCI via the transfemoral approach.