Active clinical trials for "Heart Failure"

To investigate whether the medicines eplerenone or atorvastatin have a favourable effect on diastolic heart failure. Eplerenone is a drug that has been shown to be beneficial in Chronic Heart Failure due to pump failure. It can increase life expectancy and improve symptoms in these patients. It is not known whether or not eplerenone might be beneficial in heart failure with normal pump function (diastolic heart failure). Atorvastatin is one of a group of cholesterol lowering medicines called statins, which have been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease in patients irrespective of whether cholesterol levels are high or normal. It is not known whether atorvastatin also reduces fibrosis of the heart which is one of the causes of diastolic heart failure. Study hypothesis To investigate the impact of aldosterone antagonism or statin therapy on markers of collagen turnover in patients with diastolic heart failure. To assess the impact of aldosterone antagonism or statin therapy on markers of diastolic dysfunction and indices of clinical well being in patients with diastolic heart failure.

Hospitalizations for acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) are associated with a high rehospitalisation and mortality rate. The aim of this study is to assess if the measurement of NT-proBNP levels before discharge may improve the prognosis of the patients recently admitted to hospital for AHFS

The purpose of the PRECEDE-HF study is to collect data to compare patients whose heart failure is managed using Cardiac Compass with OptiVol (which is a tool in the device that records information about the heart that doctors can use to help treat their heart disease) combined with standard treatment methods (Access Group) to patients whose heart failure is managed by standard treatment methods only (Control Group). This comparison will show if the additional monitoring provided by Cardiac Compass with OptiVol delays the time patients are first admitted to hospital for heart failure or delays the time to death.

The primary objective of this research is to pilot test a brief mental heath treatment specifically tailored to meet the needs of chronically ill patients with anxiety and/or depression. Using an open-trial format, the proposed study will examine the feasibility of a brief psychosocial intervention. Primary outcomes will assess intervention effects on patient and clinician rated symptoms of anxiety and depression. If proven feasible and effective among this group of participants, the intervention (due to its brief format and focus on medically ill patient needs) will possess unique characteristics that will increase the ability of medical care settings to implement mental health treatments, and will provide valuable pilot data for the development of a larger research project to determine the efficacy of this intervention among a larger group of chronically ill patients relative to usual care.

The aim of platelet rich plasma (PRP) application is to accelerate the healing cascade via application of elevated cytokine concentrations released during platelet degranulation. This is a prospective randomized study of the effect of autologous platelet concentrate application during surgical closure following a vein harvest during coronary bypass surgery. This prophylactic measure will be compared to standard surgical closure techniques with the primary outcome being the incidence of leg wound infection.

Heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart's ability to pump blood through the body is impaired, often making a person feel weak or fatigued. When a person's condition worsens to the point of hospitalization, that person is said to have acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Abnormal kidney function in association with cardiac distress, known as cardiorenal syndrome, is a common complication of heart failure and causes further medical problems and need for hospitalization. While there are various effective treatments for heart failure, more research is needed to determine the best treatment for targeting both ADHF and cardiorenal syndrome. This study will compare the safety and effectiveness of ultrafiltration versus standard medical drug therapy in improving renal function and relieving fluid buildup in people hospitalized with ADHF and cardiorenal syndrome.

To compare a surgical approach of LV lead placement for BIV pacing with the conventional transvenous approach by assessment of differences on the effects on cardiac perfusion and relate this to the clinical cardiac function.

The purpose of this study is to determine if an 8hr infusion of nesiritide in the emergency department in the Acutely decompensated heart failure patients will decrease 30 day recidivism.

The aim of this study is to investigate the potential benefits of the correction of growth hormone (GH) deficiency with GH replacement therapy in patients with chronic heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

This study will test the hypothesis that mechanical efficiency as measured by pressure-volume loop assessment should improve during short-term treatment with intravenous levosimendan. Levosimendan (SimdaxTM, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) is a calcium sensitizer which has been shown to have beneficial hemodynamic effects in patients with decompensated congestive heart failure (CHF). Levosimendan is a new calcium sensitizer that binds to troponin C. This agent is approved in Europe for treatment of heart failure patients. In the United States, this agent is currently under phase III investigation for intravenous treatment of patients with acutely decompensated HF who have dyspnea at rest or with minimal activity. Levosimendan has been studied in these patients with acute HF and is considered experimental in the United States for this population.