Active clinical trials for "Atherosclerosis"

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with a low grade systemic inflammatory process. Systemic inflammation is hypothesized to maintain cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in COPD. Early changes of vascular integrity can be detected via markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. Selective Inhibition of phosphodiesterase subtype 4 describes a promising therapeutic option in COPD with beneficial impact on lung function and exacerbation rate. Moreover, an anti-inflammatory effect of phosphodiesterase-4 inhibition was confirmed by recent data. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor Roflumilast on firstly surrogates of subclinical atherosclerosis and secondly markers of systemic inflammation in the peripheral circulation of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a condition that affects the whole body. It can cause inflammation of the blood vessels resulting in an earlier thickening and hardening of the arteries resulting in strokes. It has been reported that SLE can worsen the function resulting in heart failure. The aim of the study is to examine what effects Rosuvastatin, a cholesterol lowering drug, given to patients has on the degree of thickening of the arteries over the course of two years. We also want to see how it affects the function of the blood vessels and also of the heart. Individuals who agree to participate will be randomly assigned into two groups. One group will be given the active drug whereas the other will have a placebo. Subjects in the study will all have a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) scan before treatment, at 1 year and then 2 years at the end of the treatment. Each scan will involve imaging the carotid arteries in the neck, the arteries in the arm and also the heart. Individuals will continue to have regular out-patient reviews by their own team of doctors, regular blood tests will be taken to monitor the disease and also to ensure the safety and well being of the individual. At the end of the 2 year study we hope that we will be able to slow down the rate of arterial thickening and retard any plaque build up in the arteries. We also want to see what effect rosuvastatin has on heart function. Ultimately, we hope to prove that people with SLE should be treated with a cholesterol lowering drug as part of their routine treatment.

Patients who have undergone coronary bypass surgery have had a vein removed from the leg and implanted in the chest to "bypass" blockages in the coronary arteries. These veins are called saphenous vein grafts or SVGs. SVGs often develop blockages that can cause chest pain and heart attacks. SVG blockages can be opened by using small balloons and stents (metal coils that keep the artery open). Two types of stents are currently used: bare metal stents (BMS) and drug-eluting stents (DES). Both BMS and DES are made of metal. DES are also coated with a drug that releases into the wall of the blood vessel to prevent scar tissue from forming and re-narrowing the vessel. Both stents have advantages and disadvantages: DES require taking special blood thinners (called thienopyridines, such as clopidogrel or prasugrel) longer than bare metal stent and could have more bleeding but are also less likely to renarrow. Both BMS and DES are routinely being used in SVGs, but it is not known which one is better. Neither bare metal (except for an outdated model) nor drug-eluting stents are FDA approved for use in SVGs. The purpose of CSP#571 is to compare the outcomes after DES vs. BMS use in SVGs. In CSP#571 patients who need stenting of SVG blockages will be randomized to receive DES or BMS in a 1:1 ratio. Per standard practice, patients will receive 12 months of an open label thienopyridine if they have acute coronary syndrome (ACS), or if they have another clinical reason for needing the medication. Patients without ACS who receive DES also need to take 12 months of a thienopyridine whether or not they are in the study, but non-ACS patients who receive a BMS do not. In order to make sure patients do not know which stent they received, non-ACS patients who received BMS will receive 1 month of open label thienopyridine followed by 11 months of blinded placebo, while those who received DES will receive 1 month of open label thienopyridine followed by 11 months of blinded clopidogrel, which is a thienopyridine. All study patients will be followed in the clinic for at least 1 year after their stenting procedure to see if there is a difference in the rate of cardiac death, heart attack, or any procedure that is required in order to increase the flow of blood to and from the heart between the BMS and DES groups.

The hypotheses tested were that levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) would be higher in patients with chronic periodontitis in comparison with those without periodontal disease and that the non-surgical periodontal treatment would decrease levels of CRP in patients with chronic periodontitis.

This study is a phase 1, intravenous, open-label, single-dose escalation study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ACP-501 (recombinant human Lecithin Cholesterol Acyl Transferase (rhLCAT)) in subjects with coronary artery disease (CAD). Four cohorts consisting of 4 subjects each will receive one dose of ACP-501. The dose will be escalated by cohort.

The investigators will be assessing the effect of Aged Garlic Extract on the coronary arteries. The investigators will enroll patients in a double blind study, where half the patients will receive placebo, and have the patients undergo a series of tests of plaque (CT scan of the heart, carotid ultrasound) and follow the patients on the drug or placebo and then repeat the tests and blood work at the end of one year. The investigators will assess if being on aged garlic extract adds any benefit to plaque in the coronary or neck arteries. The investigators will also assess the effect of aged garlic extract on markers of inflammation. Patients will receive free drug, free testing and be compensated, and learn more about their heart and neck arteries. if successful, more patients can use this drug to benefit their health. The harms include the radiation from the CT scan and the medication, which has mild side effects.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that combined vildagliptin-metformin therapy is associated with clinically significant reductions in biological markers of inflammation, pro-thrombogenicity, and atherosclerosis as compared to metformin mono-therapy in a population of diabetic patients with coronary artery disease who undergo cardiac rehabilitation. The pre-specified established biological markers of inflammation, pro-thrombogenicity, and atherosclerosis will include: interleukin-6 (IL-6 - primary biological marker), hs-CRP, platelet reactivity testing, MMP-9, Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) and adiponectin levels.

Elevated LDL-cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease. In patients with heart disease LDL-cholesterol should be lowered to levels below 70 mg/dl to prevent progression of disease. In most patients life style modification together with lipid lowering drug therapy is sufficient to achieve this goal. In some patients with severe forms of hypercholesterolemia, this may not be sufficient to reach goals and regular lipid apheresis (a costly and time intensive form of therapy) may be performed. Mipomersen is a new drug (apoB antisense oligonucleotide) that can lower LDL-cholesterol even in the most severe forms of LDL-hypercholesterolemia by 25-47%. It is unknown whether and to what extent mipomersen can decrease LDL-cholesterol in patients treated with regular apheresis. Phase 1 of the study will test how 6 months of weekly therapy with mipomersen affects LDL-cholesterol in patients with severe LDL-hypercholesterolemia treated with regular apheresis. Phase 2 will test in how many patients this will result in a meaningful reduction of apheresis time, apheresis frequency or if apheresis can be stopped completely.

This study was designed to estimate the effect of two-year treatment with time-released garlic-based drug Allicor on the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.

The primary objective is to determine Lp-PLA2 activity in atherosclerotic carotid plaques after 14 (+/-4) days treatment with darapladib, compared to placebo. Secondary objectives include determination of the change in Lp-PLA2 activity in blood, Lp-PLA2 mass in blood and plaque, specified biomarkers in blood and plaque and their respective correlation's with Lp-PLA2. In addition, the study aims to characterise the PK/PD of repeat oral doses of SB-480848, and safety and tolerability in this population.