Active clinical trials for "Heart Diseases"

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a widely used modality of renal replacement therapy. Due to its continuous nature of therapy, better control of fluid status and preservation of residual renal function were presumed by most nephrologists. However, recent evidences showed that it might not be the case. The severity of fluid overloading and the need for anti-hypertensive agents to control blood pressure seems to be more severe for PD patients. Therefore, more aggressive strategy to control dry weight is mandatory in PD patients. However, over reduction of dry weight might affect residual renal function (RRF) and, probably, the survival of PD patients. A balance between reduction of dry weight and preservation of RRF is crucial for the care of PD patients. Currently, only clinical measures like cardiothoracic ratio on chest X-ray and absence of pedal edema were used to evaluate PD patient's dry weight. There is no objective method to determine dry weight accurately. In this prospective and randomized study, the investigators will use multi-frequency bio-impedance (MF-BIA) to detect intracellular and extracellular water (ECW) content of patients.

This study will test whether darapladib can safely lower the chances of having a cardiovascular event (such as a heart attack or stroke) in people with coronary heart disease.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether treatment of Rosuvastatin (CRESTOR™) or Simvastatin given as monotherapy or given in combination with Ezetimibe, will lower the Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with Hypercholesterolaemia and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) or a CHD Risk Equivalent, Atherosclerosis or a 10-year CHD Risk of >20%

Background: Children having open heart surgery to repair congenital heart defects demonstrate a large inflammatory response to the heart-lung machine and to surgery itself. In general, the more intense their inflammatory response, the more critically ill they are following surgery. These children routinely require large numbers of blood transfusions during and following surgery as part of their medical management that adds to their heightened inflammatory state. Whether additional steps to "wash" blood products and remove the substances contributing to post-transfusion inflammation will limit this response, and improve the health of children following open heart surgery, remains to be studied. Aims: To compare the inflammatory response in children having open heart surgery who receive washed versus unwashed blood transfusions. Methods: We will randomly assign children having open heart surgery to one of two groups: group 1 will receive blood transfusions per the current standard of care, group 2 will receive blood transfusions that have been washed in addition to the current standard of care. We will then use blood tests to measure the inflammatory response in children of each group. We will compare the results to determine whether washing blood transfusions decreases inflammation and post-operative complications following open heart surgery. Conclusion: We believe that washing blood transfusions given to children following open heart surgery will decrease their inflammatory response and improve their overall health.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate that 76 weeks of treatment with rosuvastatin calcium 2.5-20 mg results in no progression of coronary artery atherosclerotic volume as measured by intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) imaging in hypercholesterolaemic subjects with coronary heart disease (CHD).

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and angiographic outcome of implantation of stents eluting or not eluting Sirolimus in patients with complex coronary artery lesions suitable for percutaneous coronary intervention.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate procedural and late outcome of coronary artery stenting using 2 different unmounted stents

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mobilization of non-haematopoietic mesenchymal and haematopoietic stem cells from the bone marrow with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) treatment alone and in combination with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene therapy in patients with severe chronic occlusive coronary artery disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) can cause poor blood flow and supply to the heart muscle. It can result in irreversible damage to the heart muscle and poor function. Before treating patients with heart disease it is important to know how well the heart is functioning. Echocardiography is a diagnostic test that can measure heart function. If part of the heart muscle is not working properly due to previous damage, echocardiography can provide information about how much improvement can be expected after treatment (surgery or angioplasty). The purpose of this study is to compare the accuracy of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) to dobutamine echocardiography to detect the potential for damaged heart muscle to be treated and function in patients with heart disease. Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) does not use radioactivity. It uses sound waves like standard echocardiography. However, with MCE patients receive an injection of a "contrast agent" directly into the blood stream through a vein. The contrast agent, called Optison, is made of tiny microbubbles smaller than red blood cells. The echocardiogram can detect these microbubbles in the small blood vessels of the heart muscle and allow researchers to find areas of the heart receiving less blood flow than others. Echocardiography with Dobutamine does not use radioactivity. It uses sound waves, like standard echocardiography. During this echocardiogram patients receive doses of a medication called dobutamine that stimulates the heart to beat stronger and faster. Heart muscle that does not beat stronger after dobutamine is probably dead, usually as a result of a previous heart attack.

The Latino population in the United States is increasing in size; is diverse in culture, backgrounds and countries of origin; is experiencing unique influences from social and behavioral acculturation to the U.S.; is reported nationally to have lower rates of heart disease; is reported to have increased prevalence of diabetes and asthma; and is generally poorer and less educated (NHLBI working Group, 2003). They represent an important target population for disparities research. In particular Latinos accessing care in Community Health Centers in the United States represent an ideal population for conducting disparities research because lack of access to care is minimized through various governmental health insurance support mechanisms. This study will build on existing relationships to conduct the proposed study, using expertise in epidemiologic, behavioral and genetic research in an effort to promote a coordinated, comprehensive, interdisciplinary and focused research effort to improve the care being delivered to indigent Latinos at-risk for and with CVD.