Active clinical trials for "Heart Diseases"

Regular physical activity improves physical and mental health and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity and premature death from any cause. Unfortunately the majority of adults are not active enough to reap these benefits. People who are inactive and at high risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes and dementia, and who may benefit from increased activity can be identified in primary care by combining standard risk tools. These high risk patients can be offered physical activity programmes that are designed to increase longterm adherence. Aerobic dance is an activity that combines physical, social and cognitive stimulation and allows easily adjusted intensity levels to meet individual needs. Engagement in an activity program also provides opportunities to offer advice on healthy nutrition and associated meal preparation skills. Information technology can be used to increase activity participation. Video materials can be produced to guide activity participation at home, thereby increasing overall activity participation. The investigators propose a feasibility study of a multimodal dance-based physical activity and nutrition intervention aimed at patients at high risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes and dementia, in primary care settings.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death in the US. Every year, more than one million Americans have a heart attack, and nearly 800,000 have a stroke. In 2010, heart disease alone is expected to cost the country more than $316 billion in health care and lost productivity. Both lifestyle changes and medication can reduce the risk of CVD, and this project combines these approaches in the hopes of identifying a practical intervention for use in primary care medical offices. The project combines two previously tested interventions and updates them to meet current guidelines for diet and use of aspirin and cholesterol-controlling drugs (statins). The research team is delivering the combined intervention in two formats: web-based and counselor-based. Each format has the same content, but the web-based advice is accessed through the Internet by clients at home, a community site, or a primary care office. The other format involves sessions delivered to clients by a counselor either in person at a primary care office or over the telephone. The researchers will compare how effective each format is in reducing participants' risk of coronary heart disease. They will also determine the interventions' effect on participants' diet, physical activity, smoking status, medication adherence, and other health indicators. In addition, the team will compare the two formats' cost-effectiveness and how well the patients, office staff, and clinicians accept the interventions. Recruited from five family practices, 600 patients representing the geographic and ethnic diversity of North Carolina are taking part in this study. Half the participants are randomly assigned to the web-based intervention; the other half to the counselor-based version. Both groups will also get information on local resources, such as gyms and farmers markets, that can help participants maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The purpose of the study is to assess the diagnostic performance of fully automated motion corrected (MC) first pass myocardial perfusion MRI, compared to the original non-corrected first pass myocardial perfusion images in a cohort of patients with suspected ischemic heart disease, using coronary angiography as the reference standard. It is expected that this improved comprehensive protocol for cardiac MRI be accurate at detecting significant coronary artery disease and may obviate the need for other more expensive and invasive diagnostic tests currently used.

Background: Family members (spouses, siblings, offspring) of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) may themselves be at increased risk for developing CHD for genetic, biochemical and/or behavioural reasons. Targeted approaches aimed at family members of those with established CHD may be a cost-effective way to identify high-risk persons and link them to effective risk factor modification. During pilot testing we found 29% of family members of patients recently hospitalized at our institution had ≥ 3 CHD risk factors. Encouragingly, they indicated high levels of "readiness" to change underlying risk behaviours such as cigarette smoking and physical inactivity. We have developed a 12-week family heart health program featuring a personal plan for achieving risk factor goals and weekly contact with a heart health educator. This intervention needs to be fully tested. Research Aims: In this study, we will: Compare the effects of a targeted family heart health (FHH) screening, counselling and follow-up program versus usual care (UC) for reducing participants total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein (TC/HDL) ratio 52 weeks after program entry, in family members of patients recently hospitalized with CHD; Compare the effects of the FHH program versus UC on modifiable components comprising the Framingham score, including: smoking status; systolic blood pressure; total cholesterol; and high density lipoprotein cholesterol; Compare the effects of the FHH program versus UC on: lifestyle-related factors (dietary patterns, leisure time exercise, body composition); medication use (anti-lipemic medications, anti-hypertensive medications, pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation); and use of healthcare resources (physician visits, hospitalization days, number of laboratory and diagnostic tests and procedures).

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of nesiritide compared to placebo when given with standard of care therapies, on kidney function, heart function and the need of other treatments in heart failure patients undergoing heart bypass graft surgery that requires the use of a cardiopulmonary bypass machine (CPB pump or heart-lung machine).

The objective of this study is to reduce the incidence of postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery in the elderly patient. This proposal is a clinical trial designed to reduce delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery by replacing standard postoperative sedation protocols (propofol, midazolam, opioids) with a new alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonist (dexmedetomidine) possessing sedative, analgesic, and antinociceptive properties. Resource utilization analysis will be performed to determine cost effectiveness of the new treatment modality.

The primary objective of this study is to establish a cut off level of platelet inhibition that separates patients with or without previous stent occlusion with acute clinical onset while on aspirin and clopidogrel treatment within 6 months after coronary stenting for coronary artery disease.

Prospective, multi-center, randomized, controlled pilot study to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the VGS Fluent external support device, supporting saphenous vein grafts in patients with coronary heart disease.

To develop and evaluate, in a randomized controlled trial, a comprehensive obesity prevention program for third, fourth and fifth grade students. The intervention includes activities in THE SCHOOL, THE HOME, and a clinically oriented component for HIGH-RISK CHILDREN. In addition, the intervention will be delivered over a 3 year period, with age and grade-appropriate components for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders and their families. The primary outcome is body mass index. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To significantly reduce body mass index, compared to controls, at the end of the three year intervention.

Primary Hypothesis Children whose mothers receive the FBC sessions will have significantly lower BMI one year after the intervention compared to control group children whose families receive an active placebo control. Secondary Hypotheses In families that receive the FBC, household availability of fruits and vegetables will increase, and availability of high fat foods will decrease, as measured by multiple household food inventories, compared to control group families exposed to an active placebo intervention. Household level of food security, mothers' food purchase motives and family food interaction will influence the effects of the FBC on household food supplies.