
Effects of Remote Ischemic Conditioning on Myocardial Perfusion in Humans
Ischemic Heart DiseaseCardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Denmark, and ischemic heart disease accounts for the bulk of it. The purpose of this study is to clarify whether a mechanical method of remote ischemic conditioning in the form of short-term obstruction of the blood supply to the arm, can improve the heart's blood supply in patients with ischemic heart disease. This will be attempted through experiments on patients with ischemic heart disease and experimental animal studies with simulated cardiovascular disease. This study will help to clarify whether remote ischemic preconditioning can be used to treat patients with ischemic heart disease.

CTO Registry From Insight of IVUS in Fuwai Hospital
Coronary Heart DiseaseChronic Total Occlusion of Coronary Artery2 moreTo evaluate the long-term outcome of chronic total occlusion (CTO) patients underwent contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) techniques, we design this single-center, large-sample, prospective registry with five-year clinical follow-up, based on the intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) finding.

MyoVista wavECG Clinical Validation Study Versus Low e' on Echocardiogram
Cardiac DiseaseClinical validation study of the MyoVista wavECG.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Persistent Post-sternotomy Pain After Cardiac Surgery in Local Chinese...
Cardiac DiseaseCPSP is common after cardiac surgery. The reported incidence was 28% to 56% up to 2 years postoperatively. Despite a large number of cross-sectional and retrospective studies, prospective cohort studies examining the incidence of chronic post-sternotomy pain following cardiac surgery have been scarce, and none on our local Chinese population. Several mechanisms have been involved in the development of chronic pain after sternotomy. Ongoing pain after surgery can continue to sensitize the nociceptive fibres which may subsequently lead to hyperalgesia, hyperpathia, allodynia and dysesthesia. In addition, like any form of chronic pain, it is a multidimensional process involving social, cognitive and psychological factors. CPSP has the potential to impact daily functioning and quality of life of patients, as well as increasing the healthcare costs. To date, only the CARDpain study examined the role of social and psychological risk factors in development of CPSP after cardiac surgery. They found pre-surgical anxiety, measured by the Hospital and Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), was a significant risk factor. The primary aim of the study is to examine the incidence of chronic post-sternotomy pain at 3 months and 6 months following cardiac surgery in local Chinese population, and identify the clinical and psychological risk factors associated with its development. The secondary aim is to determine the impact of CPSP on the quality of life following cardiac surgery.

A Long-term Follow up Study for Patients Who Participated in the GOAL Trial (GOAL-Post)
Rheumatic Heart DiseaseGOAL-Post is comprised of two studies that will help refine recommendations for the duration of secondary prophylaxis for children diagnosed with latent RHD, which is currently not known

Pioglitazone Regress Left Ventricular Mass in Type 2 Diabetes With Ischeamia Heart Disease
LVMType 2 Diabetic Patients With IHD1 moreCardiovascular complications account for the highest mortality in type 2 diabetic patients, mainly due to ischeamia heart disease (IHD). Most of the attention in treating IHD in type 2 diabetes is understandably directed toward treating coronary artery conditions. However there are other treatable culprits in these patients. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is widespread in type 2 diabetic patients with IHD, even in the absence of hypertension. It is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. In one study, the presence of LVH was a stronger predictor of mortality than either multivessel coronary disease or impaired left ventricular function. Regression of LVH has been associated with an improved prognosis, independent of change in blood pressure (BP). Therefore, cardiovascular events and mortality in type 2 diabetes with IHD might will be reduced if we can find novel therapies to regress LVH. Pioglitazone can improve atherosclerosis. Therefore, we hypothesied that pioglitazone can regress the left ventricular mass (LVM) in type 2 diabetes with IHD.Therefore, in this study, we will treat patients with pioglitazone, and we will also metformin as control.

Custodiol-HTK (Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate) Solution as a Cardioplegic Agent
Coronary Artery DiseaseMyocardial Ischemia3 moreThe purpose of the study is to demonstrate that Custodiol-HTK is not inferior to cold cardioplegic solution in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery requiring cardioplegic arrest.

Pleural and Pericardial Effusion Following Open Heart Surgery
Heart DiseasePleural Effusion1 moreOne of the most common postoperative complications after open cardiac surgery is fluid accumulation between the pleural membranes or in the pericardial sac. This study investigates the consequence of such fluid accumulations on physical performance, recovery-time, cardiac and respiratory complications, and quality of life. Half of the participants will be followed closely and offered fluid drainage at a low threshold, and half of the participants will follow the current postoperative regimen.

Drug Therapy and Surgery in Congenital Heart Disease With Pulmonary Hypertension
Congenital Heart DiseasePulmonary Arterial HypertensionThe purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that treating PAH-CHD patients preoperatively with PAH drugs and keeping them on treatment for six months after surgery reduces the risk of immediate postoperative death and the risk of residual PAH at six months following operation to <10%.

Haptoglobin Phenotype, Vitamin E and High-density Lipoprotein (HDL) Function in Type 1 Diabetes...
Type 1 DiabetesHeart DiseaseThe purpose of the study is to determine whether the function of the good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) as well as its subfractions (via NMR spectroscopy) is altered among people with type 1 diabetes and a variation in the Haptoglobin gene and to evaluate whether vitamin E supplements may improve this function.