Active clinical trials for "Heart Failure"

In the U.S., 5.7 million people have heart failure (HF), 915,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and both incidence and prevalence are increasing due to the aging of the population and to better survival from ischemic heart disease. A hallmark of HF, is poor functional status that, characteristically, deteriorates as the condition progresses, negatively affecting patients' quality of life. Poor functional status is associated with increased risk of hospitalization for exacerbations of HF and with increased mortality. Optimization of drug therapy and appropriate use of resynchronization therapy can improve functional status, as can patient engagement in exercise. Although exercise is recommended as a component of HF management, adherence is consistently low. This is particularly troubling because exercise has great potential as a low-risk, low-cost intervention to improve functional status and quality of life while decreasing HF symptoms and hospitalizations in patients with HF. Low adherence is due in part to inadequate strength and inability to tolerate or sustain even low levels of activity. In this study, we propose to use neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to assist patient initiation of quadriceps strengthening in order to progressively increase low exercise tolerance. NMES has been shown to improve muscle strength, exercise capacity and quality of life, in samples less than 20 of male patients with HF. Larger sample studies are needed to demonstrate efficacy of this practice to jump start patients' abilities to benefit from formalized exercise program. The purpose of this double blinded, randomized, controlled, longitudinal study is to determine if NMES will increase muscle mass and strength, decrease sedentary time, and improve HF symptoms and exercise capacity, thus improving quality of life in patients with HF. It is hypothesized that with this increase in muscle mass, patients will improve overall exercise tolerance and capacity. In addition, after the intervention patients will be better able to tolerate an exercise program thus improving adherence to exercise recommendations. After 6 weeks of intervention, patients will be encouraged to participate in a formalized exercise program.

RATIONALE: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is known to improve cardiac performance and to reduce morbidity and mortality in reduced-ejection fraction heart failure (HFrEF) despite optimal medical therapy (OMT). Several studies have shown that patients with with left bundle branch block (LBBB) respond favourably to CRT, whereas there is less certainty about non-LBBB morphology. Specifically, whether patients with right bundle branch block (RBBB) and HFrEF benefit from CRT is unclear. Some studies suggest lack of favourable outcomes. It follows from this that VVI implantable defibrillator are implanted in most RBBB patients.On the other hand right ventricular bifocal stimulation could be useful as an alternative approach in patient with RBBB. It consists of two endocardial leads implanted in right ventricle. The first lead is implanted in His bundle area, and the second lead is in the right ventricle apex. In this way bifocal pacing could decrease the inter- and intraventricular delays, thus improving left ventricular hemodynamics. However no specifically randomized studies are designed to date. PURPOSE: To demonstrate the superiority of right ventricular bifocal stimulation over placebo (VVI implantable defibrillator) in RBBB and HFrEF despite OMT. DESIGN Multicenter prospective randomized, double blind cross-over study. MASKING Investigator responsible for device programming is masked from having knowledge about clinical, functional, and echocardiographic data. On the other hand echocardiographist is masked from having knowledge about stimulation mode. Patients are masked from having knowledge about their clinical, functional, and device data. POPULATION At least fifty patients would be enrolled. The enrollment period should be one year. Study overall duration should be two years. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA RBBB and HFrEF (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%) in sinus rhythm, in NYHA class II-III or ambulatory IV despite OMT. EXCLUSION CRITERIA -Refusal or withdrawal of informed consent.Renal failure (glomerular filtration rate ≤ 60 ml/min).Life expectancy < 12 months.Active neoplasm.Permanent atrial fibrillation.40 days following acute coronary syndrome.Atrio-ventricular block (from second degree AV block).Valvular heart disease with surgery indications. PROTOCOL Each patient undergoes baseline assessment. Pharmacological therapy, hospitalization,NYHA functional class, QRS complex informations, type of heart disease and comorbidities are collected. Quality of life (QOL) is defined by Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire. Functional capacity is assessed by 6MWT (optionally by cardiopulmonary exercise test). Trans-thoracic echocardiogram is performed, analyzing: left-ventricle diameters and volumes, left-ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), left atrial diameter and area, TAPSE,valvulopathy,systolic pulmonary artery pressure. All patients undergo bifocal right ventricular resynchronization therapy: right atrial lead is implanted, whereas the first ventricular lead is placed in His bundle area, and the second ventricular lead in the right ventricle apex. Then the leads are connected to the respective channels of a CRT-D generator.After the implant, all devices are programmed in VVI mode. After the first 40±10 days (first f-up) patients are 1:1 randomized to VVI mode 40 beats/minute (placebo arm) or bifocal DDD-mode 60 beats/minute (with VV delay 0 msec and optimal AV delay). After six months (second f-up) a clinical and instrumental assessment equal to baseline is performed, as well as devices electrical parameters control. Then arms cross-over is performed (from VVI-mode to bifocal DDD-mode and vice versa). At 12 months (end of follow-up) an evaluation equal to that performed at 6 months is assessed. Echocardiographic data are unravelled to the investigator responsible for device programming. In this way the stimulation mode able to determine the best clinical improved (VVI or bifocal DDD mode) is programmed and the study closes. PRIMARY ENDPOINT The main assumption is that bifocal stimulation can increase of at least 20% the distance walked during 6MWT in respect of baseline and VVI-mode.The primary endpoint is the distance walked (expressed by meters) during 6MWT, as assessed at baseline, 6-months follow-up and 12 months follow up. Specifically changes in 6MWT observed during bifocal DDD-mode compared to baseline and to VVI mode would be significative if there is an increase of at least 20%. SECONDARY ENDPOINT Secondary endpoint is bifocal stimulation therapy response, defined by at least one of the following criteria, evaluated at baseline, 6-months follow-up and 12 months-follow-up in comparison to baseline and VVI mode: NYHA functional class improvement; changes in 6MWT, defined by an increase in distance walked major or equal to 30%; LVEF improvement major or equal to 25%;Left ventricular telesystolic volume reduction major or equal to 15%

The purpose of the research is to help researchers understand changes in metabolism in patients that develop heart failure.

To demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of nocturnal ventilation with oxygen (HFT - high-flow-therapy) for the treatment of CSA in patients with HFrEF compared to placebo (patient will breathe ambient air via nasal cannula that is not connected to the high-flow-device).

A random sample a random sample of half of all men born in 1943 and living in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden, have been investigated in 1993 at 50 years of age and will be followed continuously with repeated re-examinations and follow-up concerning mortality and cardiovascular diseased. Out of 1463 invited men, 798 (54.5%) accepted the invitation and is included in this longitudinal cohort study.

This study will evaluate the usefulness of the subcutaneous administration of a new Lasix formulation. 20 patients will be evaluated in the first phase (pilot phase) and depending on the results, an additional 40 patients will be enrolled (Evaluation Phase). Patients with mild to moderate evidence of fluid overload who present to the cardiology service at St Elizabeth's Medical Center, Brighton, Massachusetts (SEMC) will be included in the study. Patients who qualify for thus study will be sent home with the sc2Wear™ Furosemide Infusor therapy for three days. This is a pump that patients place on their abdomen and it then delivers furosemide to the skin. Participants will be visited at home by a visiting nurse who will give them further teaching on the sc2Wear™ Furosemide Infusor. The visiting nurse will also be responsible for obtaining history (symptoms), physical examination (including inspecting the skin for adverse reactions related to the pump), and laboratory draws, supplementation of electrolytes as needed. Patients will be evaluated by the cardiology service of SEMC within 24 hours of the last dose of the sc2Wear™ Furosemide Infusor. If a patient is found to have satisfactorily responded but requires more therapy, an additional 4 days may be prescribed for total of seven consecutive treatments. If additional units are prescribed, patients will be evaluated by the cardiology service of SEMC within 24 hours of the last dose of the sc2Wear™ Furosemide infusion. Also an additionally, up to three-sc2Wear furosemide at home treatments may be used as authorized by the treating physician in case the patient experiences worsening heart failure within 30-days of enrollment (Rescue Treatment). Participants will be seen in clinic for follow up at 30±3 days after the start of the study for a post treatment.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether administering metolazone 60 minutes prior to furosemide increases urine output compared with administering metolazone and furosemide concomitantly. Participants will have equal chance of being assigned to each group.

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group study to investigate the efficacy of pemziviptadil (PB1046) by improving the clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients at high risk for rapid clinical deterioration, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death. The study will enroll approximately 210 hospitalized COVID-19 patients who require urgent decision-making and treatment at approximately 20 centers in the United States.

The purpose of this study is to compare adverse events after off-pump LVAD surgery or on-pump LVAD surgery.

The MyoVasc - Study is an observational, prospective cohort study. The study is investigating the development and progression of the heart failure syndrome, phenotypes of the heterogeneous syndrome, and the interactions of phenotypes with the vasculature regarding their impact for the course of heart failure.