Active clinical trials for "Atherosclerosis"

The possibility of the identification of the risk of rupture of a carotid plaque will have tremendous impact in clinical decision making. Firstly, in symptomatic patients with a 30-69% stenosis, who are currently not operated upon according to the current guidelines, identification of the risk of rupture plaque could identify patients who have a high risk of recurrent stroke, and would benefit of carotid intervention, such as endarterectomy or stent placement. This could potentially prevent a substantial number of strokes. Secondly, in all symptomatic patients with a 70-99% stenosis carotid intervention should be considered, according to the guidelines. However, only one out of six patients with a 70-99% stenosis benefits from a carotid intervention. Identification of patients with a high risk of a recurrent stroke would reduce the number of unnecessary interventions substantially. The main objective is to show whether imaging characteristics assessed at baseline can predict clinical events in patients with a 30-69 % symptomatic carotid stenosis.

Background: - Researchers are interested in studying the environmental and genetic factors that play a role in health and living conditions as people age. Since 2002, the U.S. National Institute on Aging and the Icelandic Heart Association Research Institute have been conducting a long-term study known as the Research in Aging project to collect personal data and samples from Icelandic men and women in order to study risk factors related to disease and disability in old age. Researchers plan to initiate a second stage of the study. Objectives: - To collect additional personal information, medical records, and blood samples from individuals who have previously provided materials for the Research in Aging Project in Iceland. Eligibility: - Individuals who have previously participated in the Research in Aging project in association with the U.S. National Institute on Aging and the Icelandic Heart Association Research Institute. Design: Participants will have a physical examination with imaging analysis procedures and hearing and eye tests, provide information on health and diet, and provide a 100-ml blood sample for testing. Participants will also provide consent for researchers to consult data and samples collected during the first stage of the Research on Aging project.

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

The purpose of this study is to compile real-world clinical outcomes data for the ION™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Platinum Chromium Coronary Stent System in routine clinical practice.

This is a prospective, multi-center imaging study expecting to enroll approximately 1350 patients scheduled for clinically-indicated coronary angiography. Following informed consent, patient will undergo baseline coronary intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging and non-invasive ultrasound imaging of their carotid arteries. Following a 2-year follow-up period, patients will undergo repeat coronary IVUS and standard invasive coronary angiography as well as carotid ultrasound examination. Additionally, patients will be contacted by phone on an annual basis for 5 years to collect cardiovascular and cerebrovascular clinical endpoints. Evaluations of plaque burden will be made using invasive and non invasive imaging tools in order to assess correlations between vascular beds, imaging technologies and main cardiovascular events.

A retrospective review with four year followup on patients that had previously been enrolled in a study to evaluate blockages in the lower legs. The study looked at patients that had undergone a bypass of the leg from the groin to the knee area with an incision in each area using general anesthesia. These patients were compared to others who had undergone treatment with balloon dilatation and stents in the arteries in the thighs with only numbing medicine. The study was completed two years ago and was initially designed to look at outcomes at 24 months. Now the investigators are trying to go back and look at outcomes of these patients' treatment at 4 years by simply reviewing their records.

The present project is aimed at determining the prevalence of LDL-C <130 mg/dl with hsCRP ≥2mg/l, and of HDL-C < 40 mg/dl in Spain together with the estimation of cardiovascular risk, to analyze the contribution of measuring hsCRP for primary prevention purposes. In a subgroup of that population a number of inflammatory and oxidative status biomarkers would be also measured to better understand the meaning of elevated hsCRP.The study aim to analyze data already collected in studies (11 studies will participate) carried out in Spain, in 10 Spanish regions, after the year 2000.

The aim of this cross-sectional study is to determine the correlation of coronary artery calcification as measured by electron-beam computerized tomography and coronary flow reserve measured by trans-thoracic Doppler echocardiography in hemodialysis patients. The investigators also assessed the carotid artery parameters by measuring intima media thickness that can accurately describe the process of arterial wall changes due to atherosclerosis. Possible association of coronary flow reserve with inflammation and arterial calcification in hemodialysis patients was also evaluated.

The study hypothesis is that differential proteomic techniques can be used to discover new circulating biomarkers of coronary atherosclerosis in the blood of patients suffering from coronary artery disease (either stable or unstable) who will be compared to a group of patients without coronary artery disease

To investigate the diagnostic performance of whole body magnetic resonance angiography (WB-MRA) using subsystolic venous compression of the thigh.