Active clinical trials for "Atherosclerosis"

To test the hypothesis that DM could have anti-inflammatory effect and thus achieve vascular protection effect on heavy smokers.

The primary objective of this randomized, double blind, placebo controlled pilot study is to determine if therapies aimed at lowering LDL cholesterol (HMGCoA reductase inhibitor - simvastatin) or increasing HDL cholesterol (Niaspan) will induce regression of carotid atherosclerotic plaque in vivo using MRI imaging techniques. MR plaque morphology at baseline will be compared to that after 6 and 12 months of therapy and changes in MR characteristics will be compared to changes in lipoprotein parameters and urinary isoprostanes. The effect of moderate LDL reduction, aggressive LDL reduction and the combination of aggressive LDL reduction and HDL elevation on MRI plaque characteristics will be compared by randomly assigning subjects (n=69) with carotid disease (>30% stenosis by ultrasound criteria) to one of three treatment arms; Simvastatin 20 mg daily and placebo Niaspan (n=23) Simvastatin 80 mg daily and placebo Niaspan (n=23) Simvastatin 20 mg daily and active Niaspan (n=23) Treatment group 2 and 3 will have roughly equivalent LDL lowering because of the synergistic LDL lowering effect of the combination of simvastatin and Niaspan.

The purpose of the study is to determine whether a 6-week treatment with 4 g Omacor/day improves the baseline and postprandial endothelial function (after a high-fat meal) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Feasibility study to assess safety of treating patients with self expanding stent in intracranial arteries.

This study is being conducted to measure the amount of study drug that is in your blood after you receive a different type of tablet in each of four study visits.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether significant alterations in serum lipoproteins as provided by the drug lovastatin can substantially reduce atherosclerosis progression or even induce regression.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effects of Atorvastatin. The investigators want to find out if atorvastatin has other helpful qualities. The investigators are interested in finding out if medicines like atorvastatin are useful even in people who do not have high levels of bad cholesterol and would like to understand other mechanisms by which this medicine helps prevent further blood vessel disease. Hypotheses: Atorvastatin reduces Rho kinase activity (in leukocytes) rapidly, within days, in patients with atherosclerosis. Any decrease in Rho kinase activity with statin therapy will be accompanied by improvement in familiar markers of atherosclerosis.

This study will evaluate the efficacy of diet and exercise (DE), with and without niacin and fenofibrate, in reducing the cardiovascular risk of patients with HIV lipodystrophy or dyslipidemia.

This study will examine the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting blood vessel inflammation. The results of this study may later be applied to diagnosing inflammation of arteries in patients with atherosclerosis, predicting disease progression in these patients, and guiding therapy. Patients with peripheral artery disease (for example, blockage of a leg artery) undergoing balloon angioplasty at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, may be eligible to participate in this study. Because this procedure, which opens blocked arteries, can cause inflammation in the vessel wall, it affords an opportunity for studying MRI detection of such inflammation. Study candidates will be screened with a medical history and physical examination. Participants will have a MRI scan and blood drawn at Suburban Hospital before the angioplasty and again either 1 to 3 days or 2 weeks after the procedure. Before the MRI scan is begun, a catheter (a thin plastic tube) is inserted in an arm vein and 90 milliliters (about 3 ounces) of blood is drawn. The patient then lies on a table that slides into the MRI scanner-a large donut-shaped machine with a magnetic field. A flexible, padded sensor called an MRI coil is placed over the area to be imaged; this device is used to improve the quality of the pictures. During the scan a contrast material called gadolinium is injected through the catheter. Gadolinium brightens the image of the blood vessels. The procedure lasts up to 2 hours.

The goal of this observational study is to understand and compare an alternative model of care in comparison to the usual model of care in include male and female participants ≥18 years of age with a history of ASCVD (hear and blood vessels diseases) or high-risk participants who have elevated bad cholesterol (LDL-C ≥1.8 mmol/L). The alternative model of care includes telephone support calls from a study nurse (after visits 1,2 and 4) and text messages to your mobile phone with healthy heart information. The main question it aims to answer is to understand and compare an alternative model of care in comparison to the usual model of care by evaluating the study participants bad cholesterol values after 180 and 365 days of the study. Each participant will take their medications as per usual care but may have the addition of Inclisiran, 284 mg 1.5 ml liquid in a single-use prefilled syringe for under skin administration. In accordance with the current medical practice guidelines for treating heart related conditions, inclisiran and its product information will be made available for use in both care models. All the participants who decide to take part in this study will be requested to do the following: Answer any questions from the study doctor or the study staff as accurately as possible when asked about changes in health status, medications, heart health, visits to other doctors or hospital admissions, planned surgery, even if they think none of these are related to the study. Study doctor will be able to inform them of which medications you can and cannot take as part of this study. To use mobile phone to receive text messages and/or questionnaires as proposed in the new model of care. Advise the study doctor if they plan to move away from the geographical area where the study is being conducted during the study period. Take the medications for cholesterol lowering treatment (such as a statin and/or ezetimibe) that are prescribed by the study doctor. Tell the study doctor or study staff as soon as possible about suspected participant / participant partner pregnancy. Tell the study doctor or study staff if they change their mind about taking part in the study. Attend all the visits (screening visit, visits 1, 2, 3, 4 and visit 5). Provide all the information that will enable the study team to contact them, i.e., inform the study staff if contact details change, provide contact details of a family member, etc.