Active clinical trials for "Cardiomyopathies"

The aim of the study was to assess of the influence of atorvastatin on selected indicators of an inflammatory condition, function of the left ventricle and factors affecting the occurrence of undesired events like rehospitalizations and mortality in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Heart failure is a very common cause of hospital admission and there are half a million new cases diagnosed each year in the United States. While some important progress has been made over the last two decades for the treatment of heart failure, there still remains a critical need for further advances in our understanding of this disease in order to significantly improve patient outcomes. Large numbers of heart failure patients need to be studied over time to allow scientists to investigate those factors that influence the responses to therapy.

To evaluate the maternal blood concentrations of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) during the second and third trimesters of a normal pregnancy. We will attempt to define a normal range for pregnancy and any outliers that may serve as markers for abnormal cardiovascular physiology.

This study will examine the usefulness of a new test called an isoproterenol challenge in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and family members who may have the disease but do not have clear-cut evidence of it. ARVC is a rare condition that runs in families. Heart muscle is replaced with fatty, scar-like tissue, especially in the right ventricle (lower pumping chamber of the heart), and can sometimes extend to the left ventricle (the main pumping chamber). The fat can interfere with the heartbeat, producing abnormal heart rhythms, such as ventricular tachycardia (VT) - a very fast heartbeat that can cause sudden death, especially in young people. Isoproterenol is a drug that increases heart rate and heart muscle contractions. In isoproterenol challenge, subjects are given increasing doses of the drug through a catheter (see details below) to try to produce an abnormal heart rhythm. ARVC is hard to diagnose with current tests. This study will see if isoproterenol challenge provokes VT in patients with the disease and can confirm the diagnosis; if it can detect the disease in family members better than currently available tests; and if it provokes abnormal rhythms in healthy control subjects. In addition, the study will explore the genetics of ARVC and determine whether infection could contribute to its development. Patients with ARVC, their family members, and normal volunteers 18 years of age and older may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history and physical examination, electrocardiogram (EKG), treadmill and bicycle exercise testing, and an echocardiogram (ultrasound test of the heart). Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: Blood tests - Blood is collected to study the genetics of ARVC, to test for evidence of old infections, and to measure brain natriuretic peptide - a hormone that can increase with development of heart failure. Heart magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This test looks at heart structure and function. MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of body tissues and organs. The subject lies on a table that is moved into the scanner (a narrow cylinder), wearing earplugs to muffle loud knocking sounds that occur during the scanning process. At some time during the test, the subject is given a contrast agent called gadolinium through a catheter (thin, flexible tube) in a vein to improve the scan pictures. The scan time varies from 30 to 90 minutes, with most scans lasting 60 minutes. (Control subjects do not undergo MRI.) Isoproterenol challenge. Subjects are given increasing doses of isoproterenol through a catheter until the heart rate reaches 100 to 120 beats per minute for no more than 1 hour. A special EKG records heart rhythm during the test and an echocardiogram records right and left ventricular function. QRST surface mapping EKG. This special EKG, done with 64 or 120 leads, maps abnormalities of heart rhythm and cardiac conduction during the isoproterenol challenge. These tests are like a regular EKG, except that more leads are placed on the chest, and on the back as well. Patients and family members who wish to have follow-up visits may return to the NIH Clinical Center once a year for 5 years for guidance about therapy based on clinical considerations and new information or investigations.

To establish and maintain a national registry of children with different forms of cardiomyopathy.

The overall objective of this study is to use patient-centered in vitro and in vivo models to answer the fundamental question of whether or not pathogenic mutations in BRCA1/2 result in an increased risk of CV disease

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can cause transient myocardial dysfunction. Recently, it have been reported that myocardial dysfunctions that occur in SAH are associated with poor outcomes. It therefore appears essential to detect theses dysfunctions with the higher sensitivity as possible. Strain measurement using speckle-tracking echocardiography may detect myocardial dysfunction with great sensitivity. The main objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of myocardial dysfunction in "non-severe" SAH (defined by a WFNS grade 1 or 2), using speckle-tracking echocardiography. This study also aims to analyse Strain measurement with classical echocardiography and serum markers (troponin, BNP) of cardiac dysfunction.

Background: The intra-aortic balloon balloon pump (IABP) has been used as a method of percutaneous circulatory assistance high surgical risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG); Although its applicability has been questioned by clinical trials showing poor impact to reduce the mortality due to cardiogenic shock associated with postoperative acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the real benefit reducing mortality in the postoperative context (PO) has not been determined examined through a prospective study with an adequate design. Objective: To compare PO complications such as mortality, perioperative infarction and other complications in patients with high surgical risk undergoing CABG in comparison with controls.

The goal of this study is to describe the use of ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) in the pregnant or peripartum patient.

The overall objective of this pilot analysis is to characterize the hemodynamic changes that occur during implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in patients with advanced heart failure - specifically, how right ventricular function is compromised as a result of LVAD implantation.