Active clinical trials for "Heart Failure"

Despite technological progresses the rate of non-responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains close to 30%. This inconsistent effect of CRT might be due to incomplete resynchronization as dyssynchrony can persist in 25% to 30% of patients during CRT. One might hypothesize that stimulating the ventricles at a single site is suboptimal and that stimulating multiple left ventricular (LV) or right ventricular (RV) sites may improve ventricular resynchronization and, consequently, its hemodynamic and clinical effects. First studies have suggested that 1 RV + 2 LV pacing sites configurations increased significantly dP/dt, pulse pressure, LV end-diastolic pressure, and is associated with more LV remodeling and better responder rate compared with pacing a single LV site. First studies with 2 RV+LV pacing sites configuration demonstrated increased dP/dt and cardiac output and a decrease of the cardiac dyssynchrony. The present pilot trial was designed to examine the 6-month safety of biventricular stimulation with 2 right ventricular (RV) and 1 left ventricular (LV) leads - main objective- and to assess its clinical benefit.

The study will assess the effects of 36 weeks of treatment with LCZ696 compared to valsartan on N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with chronic heart failure and preserved left-ventricular ejection fraction.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the CentriMag ventricular assist system to help patients who have experienced heart failure during surgery and cannot be removed from cardiac bypass.

To access the efficacy of intravenous (IV) administration of CD-NP on changes in cardiac output and wedge pressure in patients with stabilized acute heart failure

Congestive heart failure affects 2.3 percent of the population (approximately 4,900,000) with an incidence of 10 per 1,000 of the population after the age of 65 (1). The admission rate for patients with heart failure is on the rise, so is the mortality associated with it and its national annual bill, now exceeding $21 billion (1). Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is present in 11-37 percent of patients with heart failure (2,3), and tends to increase in severity when the heart failure is less controlled (4, 5). Therefore, the actual prevalence of OSA in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure is likely higher. There is now evidence that treatment of OSA with nasal Continuous Positive Pressure (nCPAP) in outpatients with stable heart failure improves left ventricular ejection fraction, and quality of life (6), and confers a reduction in fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events (7). However, there has not been any evaluation of the role of diagnosis and treatment of OSA in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure. This uncertainty about the true prevalence and role of OSA in exacerbations of heart failure, and the role of its treatment in the acute setting may explain why aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for OSA in patients admitted to the hospital with acute heart failure is not part of the standard clinical practice in acute care centers. Given the rising admission rate, and mortality associated with heart failure, an evaluation of the role of OSA and its treatment in this patient population is highly significant.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous (IV) clevidipine as compared with standard of care IV antihypertensive agents for blood pressure (BP) lowering in patients with acute heart failure and elevated BP.

Metoprolol succinate is a beta1-selective beta-blocker, becoming non-selective at higher doses, while carvedilol is non-selective. We examined whether metoprolol remained beta1-selective compared to carvedilol during dose up-titration in Class C heart failure (HF) Beta-blocker naïve patients. METHODS: Twenty-five NYHA FC II-III HF patients were randomized to carvedilol or metoprolol. Patients were studied at baseline and after 2 weeks of up-titration (metoprolol at 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg daily; carvedilol IR at 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25 mg and 50mg twice daily). Beta2- blockade was determined by an infusion of terbutaline at 6 mg/kg over 1 hour. Glucose and potassium levels were serially measured at baseline, every 15 minutes for the 1st hour and 30 minutes for 2nd hour post-infusion. The median area under the curve (AUC) for glucose and potassium changes were calculated.

The technique of transplanting progenitor cells into a region of damaged myocardium, termed cellular cardiomyoplasty, is a potentially new therapeutic modality designed to replace or repair necrotic, scarred, or dysfunctional myocardium. Ideally, graft cells should be readily available, easy to culture to ensure adequate quantities for transplantation, and able to survive in host myocardium; often a hostile environment of limited blood supply and immunorejection. Whether effective cellular regenerative strategies require that administered cells differentiate into adult cardiomyocytes and couple electromechanically with the surrounding myocardium is increasingly controversial, and recent evidence suggests that this may not be required for effective cardiac repair. Most importantly, transplantation of graft cells should improve cardiac function and prevent adverse ventricular remodeling. To date, a number of candidate cells have been transplanted in experimental models, including fetal and neonatal cardiomyocytes, embryonic stem cell-derived myocytes, tissue engineered contractile grafts, skeletal myoblasts, several cell types derived from adult bone marrow, and cardiac precursors residing within the heart itself. There has been substantial clinical development in the use of whole bone marrow and skeletal myoblast preparations in studies enrolling both post-infarction patients, and patients with chronic ischemic left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure. The effects of bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have also been studies clinically. Currently, bone marrow or bone marrow-derived cells represent highly promising modality for cardiac repair. The totality of evidence from trials investigating autologous whole bone marrow infusions into patients following myocardial infarction supports the safety of this approach. In terms of efficacy, increases in ejection fraction are reported in the majority of the trials. Chronic ischemic left ventricular dysfunction resulting from heart disease is a common and problematic condition; definitive therapy in the form of heart transplantation is available to only a tiny minority of eligible patients. Cellular cardiomyoplasty for chronic heart failure has been studied less than for acute MI, but represents a potentially important alternative for this disease.

This study is designed to assess the safety and tolerability of Cardiac Repair Cells (CRCs) compared to standard-of-care in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Up to half of all patients with clinical features of heart failure are found to have normal heart pumping function. Recently the investigators have shown that a drug called perhexiline markedly improved exercise capacity and symptoms in patients with heart failure associated with impaired cardiac pump function. In this proposal the investigators will assess whether perhexiline has beneficial effects in patients with heart failure and a normal heart pumping function.