Active clinical trials for "Atherosclerosis"

Patients enrolled will need treated with an IVUS- VH (intravascular ultrasound-derived virtual histology) which is an arterial stent procedure, that involves threading a tiny wire into the artery, followed by a balloon, a stent, or other device to treat a blocked artery, and often (though not always), a special ultrasound catheter to take pictures of the inside of the artery. Participants in the study, will have an additional procedure performed: a tiny tube will be advanced into the heart artery to collect a blood sample for research purposes, and a blood sample will be collected from the femoral (thigh) artery through the tube that will be placed there as a standard part of having this procedure. The blood that is collected will be analyzed for markers of inflammation or irritation in the blood (c-reactive protein, myeloperoxidase, Monocyte chemotactic protein-1), as well and a gene called Matrix Metallopeptidase 3, which is believe to influence the progression of plaque on the walls of arteries and the progression of coronary artery disease. .

This study will evaluate volunteers 18 years of age and older to see if they qualify for one of NHLBI s research studies. Tests include the following: General medical evaluation, which may include blood tests, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram (heart ultrasound). Other tests as appropriate, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cardiac computed tomography (CT scan of the heart), nuclear stress test and echocardiography stress test. X-ray contrast studies of the heart and blood vessels. (These may be excluded in patients with kidney risk factors.)

Researching genetic differences in people with no prior medical conditions for better understanding of cardiac diseases through genetic research.

The goal of this study is to correlate both plaque and % lipid core content assessed by NIRS-IVUS (Imaging technique) to plaque burden and % lipid core content in coronary computerized tomographic angiography (CCTA) completed at 1 week in non-culprit coronary arteries.

The prevalence, incidence, and severity of atherosclerotic disease all markedly increase with age. Basic experimental and observational data demonstrate that aging magnifies the pathologic and clinical consequences of established risk factors and is the most potent individual risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis and for adverse outcomes following an ischemic event. These findings suggest that normal aging alters the vascular substrate so as to promote the development and progression of atherosclerosis. The age-associated changes in vascular structure and function include an increase in central vascular stiffness, intimal proliferation, and endothelial dysfunction. The major hypothesis is that the above alterations in vascular substrate (i.e. vascular age) are an important determinant of the age associated increased likelihood for the development and progression of coronary atherosclerotic disease. This program will non-invasively characterize vascular age and atherosclerotic burden in BLSA participants and individuals with successful aging, i.e. those with no or minimal evidence of coronary atherosclerotic disease, and those with premature, clinically evident coronary artery disease. It will repeat measures of vascular age and atherosclerotic burden three years after the first assessment. By examining the impact of vascular age on the initial extent and the progression of atherosclerotic burden over a two to three-year period, it will test the hypothesis that vascular age is an important determinant of the ageassociated increase in atherosclerotic disease....

Polyphenol supplements, including curcumin and resveratrol, are known to decrease inflammation, but previous polyphenol supplements were poorly absorbed and thus their effects were reduced. A new phytosome formulation coats the supplements and allows them to be better absorbed. The purpose of this study is to examine the acute (1-hr) and short-term (1-week) effects of two different phytosome-formulated polyphenol supplements on inflammation. The two supplements that will be used are: 1) PolyResveratrol and 2) Curcumin.

Statin administration is supposed to reduce subclinical atherosclerosis by decreasing LDL cholesterol levels, possibly via lipid-independent anti-inflammatory effect. Its pleiotropic properties also adding beneficial effect against CMV infection. The investigators plan to study atorvastatin in virally- suppressed HIV-infected patients on stable ART with CMV seropositive and statin-naïve to evaluate the subclinical atherosclerosis changes assessed by carotid intima media thickness (CIMT).

A promising strategy to reduce CVD is to directly target inflammation at the level of the vessel wall. A potential drawback of anti-inflammatory strategies pertains to the thin line between inhibiting 'inappropriate' inflammation versus inducing immuno-suppression. One of the strategies to limit systemic immunosuppression is to strive for local delivery and prolonged efficacy and low systemic burden of the drug by encapsulating the compound in liposomes. Liposome-encapsulated drugs efficiently target lesions and accumulate at a much higher extent at desired areas of interest. Thus, local delivery and prolonged efficacy can be very important tools to overcome the potential drawback anti-inflammatory drugs; namely an inappropriate immune suppression. In the present project, the investigators therefore aim to evaluate the delivery and superior efficacy of Nanocort above Prednison or placebo in patients with peripheral artery disease due to atherosclerosis. Because these patients will undergo an endarteriectomy the investigators will be able to collect atherosclerotic material after drug administration and thus evaluate the local delivery and compare the effects of Nanocort to Prednison or Placebo.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death and disability in adults. However, investigations suggest that the basic pathology of heart disease as more severe myocardial infarction which usually reach mainly middle-aged or above, starts from childhood. Hypercholesterolemia is one of the most important risk factors for atherosclerosis in adults and children, is associated with early deposition of lipids in the aorta and coronary arteries. Among other recommendations for prevention and treatment of heart disease and risk factors, is the recommendation to encourage the intake of soluble fiber. The oats, a major source of soluble fiber, has been recognized as a potential component of the diet to lower blood cholesterol levels, this effect is attributed mainly to the beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber present in large quantities in oats. In 1997 the Food and Drug Administration admitted that the oat bran, oat flakes and oatmeal may have beneficial effects for health with the recommendation of daily intake of 3g of beta-glucan from oats and a food that brings a claim for promotion health, must provide, without enrichment, at least 1 gram of beta-glucan per serving. The objective of this project will be compared by randomized clinical trial, the impact of intake of oats, for 8 weeks in the lipid profile of children and adolescents with dyslipidemia. Will be included in the study 120 volunteers aged between 5 and 16 years who are in nutritional monitoring for at least 1 month. The subjects will be randomly divided into 2 groups, with a control group and another intervention will receive 3 tablespoons of soup filled with oat bran, which corresponds to 3g of beta-glucan, along with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Patients will be monitored with consultations on the 2nd, 4th and 8th weeks of treatment. Blood sample will be performed, to obtain the lipid profile of patients, at the beginning and end of the study. To compare the groups are used Student's t and squared chi. The alpha of 0.05 is considered critical. The program will be used Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15.0. It is expected a decrease in serum levels of total cholesterol and LDL-c. Thus, living habits and healthy alternatives to prevent these risk factors should be done since childhood, especially in children who already have cholesterol levels of change.

The purpose of this study is to test whether sodium nitrite affects the expression of cellular proteins important for metabolic and vascular function in vascular offcuts and cardiac biopsies taken from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.