
Assessing the Efficacy of CARDIOgoniometry (CGM) to Determine Physiologically Significant Stenosis...
Coronary Artery DiseaseThe CARDIOFLOW study compares the standard test, a pressure wire test called fractional flow reserve (FFR), with a new method that is based on taking a detailed "3D" ECG called Cardiogoniometry (CGM). FFR is an angiographic technique which measures the physiological significance of a coronary stenosis and trial data has shown that basing management decisions on this data improves prognosis. However FFR studies are expensive and invasive, whereas CGM is painless and simply involves placing 4 sticky pads to the patient's chest / back and is similar to an ECG (heart tracing). The investigators want to see whether we can use this new method to find out whether treatment with coronary angioplasty would be of benefit. If so, then in the future, clinicians could use this method (CGM) rather than pressure wire assessment (FFR). This would have several advantages; in particular, it can be easily performed in the clinic and avoids the need to use an expensive pressure wire.

CPR Training: Video Self-Instruction Kit or Video-Only
Cardiovascular Risk FactorsCoronary Disease1 morePrompt delivery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a crucial determinant of survival for many victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), yet bystander CPR is provided in less than one third of witnessed SCA events. A number of barriers to bystander CPR training have been identified including time and cost of the training course. Since the large majority of arrest events occur in the home environment, studies have suggested that providing CPR training to family members of hospitalized cardiac patients may serve as a useful approach to address an environment in which bystander CPR is frequently not provided. Utilizing an existing in-hospital program to train adult family members, the investigators will assess the skills of those who learn CPR through two different education methods (video-only and video self-instruction (VSI) kit).

Reducing Radioisotope Dose: the Half-Dose CZT Study
Coronary Artery DiseaseThis is a pilot study to see whether cardiac imaging can be performed using half the standard dose of radioisotope.

A Study of Regadenoson in Subjects Undergoing Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) Using Multidetector...
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)The purpose of this study is to compare Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with regadenoson in order to detect the presence or absence of reversible defects.

Regadenoson Stress-MRI to Identify Coronary Artery Disease in Atrial Fibrillation Patients
Atrial FibrillationCoronary Artery DiseaseAtrial fibrillation (AF) is growing into an epidemic affecting 1 in 4 adults. There is a need for research to elucidate the prevalence of ischemic cardiomyopathy in patients diagnosed with AF. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the utility of MRI in assessment of coronary artery disease. The specific objective is to demonstrate sensitivity/specificity comparable to that reported in meta-analyses of non-AF patients and adenosine (90% /80%) in an AF population using the time-efficient vasodilator regadenoson that requires only a single intravenous (IV).

The Association Between Very Small Embryonic-like Stem Cells and the Prognosis of Coronary Artery...
Coronary Artery DiseaseHypothesis: Peripheral blood Very Small Embryonic-like Stem Cells (VSELs) are different in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients from those without CAD, which might account for the benefits of Atorvastatin in CAD patients.

Coenzyme Q10 in Relation to the Antioxidative Vitamins, Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Coronary...
Coronary Artery DiseaseCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of Taiwan. American Heart Association (AHA) indicated that CVD patients with Statin therapy would decrease the recurrence of CVD. The goal for lipid lowering in CVD patients was set at the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) below 100 mg/dL. Coenzyme Q10 is recognized as a lipid soluble antioxidant, Statin treatment might affect the level of coenzyme Q10. Therefore, the purposes of this study are going to investigate the relation of coenzyme Q10 with other antioxidant vitamins (Vitamin A and E), the markers of lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes activities, and the inflammatory markers in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients during Statin therapy. The study is going to design a placebo-controlled study. The investigators will recruit coronary artery disease (CAD) patients who are identified by cardiac catheterization as having at least 50% stenosis of one major coronary artery, and healthy subjects. CAD subjects are randomly assign to placebo and coenzyme Q10 supplements (150 mg/bid = 300 mg/d) groups. Intervention is going to administration for three months. Fasting blood will be obtained in each month and determine the concentration of antioxidant vitamins, lipid peroxidation markers, antioxidant enzymes activities after intervention. Meanwhile, the investigators will measure the level of inflammatory markers in all subjects of this study. Hopefully, the results of this study could provide information of coenzyme Q10 supplementation for clinical dietitian in advising CAD patients who are under Statin therapy.

GLP-1 Loading During Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Angina PectorisMyocardial Infarction2 moreAngina is caused by narrowings or blockages within coronary arteries. Coronary angioplasty and stenting is performed for people with angina to improve the blood supply to the heart by placing metal tubes within the artery using balloon inflation. The procedure risks small but significant damage to the heart muscle downstream of the balloon. Glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP 1) is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by cells in the gut in response to food. It acts by stimulating the release of insulin. In the heart it acts to increase glucose uptake into cardiac muscle. GLP-1 can protect the heart and improve heart muscle performance in people with coronary artery disease in physiological studies. This study which assesses whether GLP-1 protects the heart during coronary angioplasty and stenting. The hypothesis is that GLP-1 given during elective coronary angioplasty and stenting will reduce cardiac troponin rise (a measure of heart muscle damage) compared to placebo.

Surgical Manipulation of the Aorta and Cerebral Infarction
Coronary Heart DiseaseStroke1 moreThe purpose of the study is to compare two surgical strategies for coronary artery bypass grafting with respect to the occurrence of cerebral infarctions made visible by magnetic resonance imaging

Myocardial Stress Perfusion Imaging With Dual Source CT
Coronary Artery DiseaseThe investigators propose a novel technique using dual source multidetector computed tomography (DSCT) where information on both coronary anatomy and myocardial perfusion is obtained in a single scan. The investigators hypothesize that a coronary CTA protocol can be devised to obtain resting myocardial perfusion, myocardial perfusion after stress, and coronary anatomy. Hence, one diagnostic test will be able to detect the presence of coronary plaque as well as assess the functional significance of a stenosis.