
Surrogate Markers of Portal Pressure
Portal HypertensionCirrhosisThis is a prospective longitudinal study that will evaluate if changes (pre and post therapy) in indocyanine green (ICG) retention test and liver stiff ness (LS) and spleen stiffness (SS) as measured by acoustic radiofrequency impulse (ARFI) correlate with changes in portal pressure as determined by the hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG) in patients with compensated hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis undergoing antiviral therapy.

Effect of Administration of Rifaximin on the Portal Pressure of Patients With Liver Cirrhosis and...
Liver CirrhosisPortal HypertensionThe purpose of this study is to assess whether the add of Rifaximin in patients with liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices treated with a standard therapy with beta blockers, leads to a significant reduction of portal hypertension.

Noninvasive Subharmonic Aided Pressure Estimation of Portal Hypertension
Liver DiseasesPortal HypertensionThis is an open-label, non-randomized trial that will be conducted at two clinical sites, Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). Enrolled patients undergoing trans-jugular liver biopsy with hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG) measurements will receive a continuous infusion of Sonazoid® (GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway) co-infused with 0.9% NaCl solution over a 5-10 minute time period. Ultrasound imaging will be performed using a Logiq 9 scanner with a 4C transducer (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) and the novel SHAPE (subharmonic aided pressure estimation) algorithm will be used to measure pressure values in the hepatic and portal veins. Data will be stored on a PC and compared to pressure-catheter measurements, Subjects identified in the initial examination as having portal hypertension (by HVPG results) will be monitored by SHAPE for up to 18 months. These subjects typically have surveillance Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans every 6 months to screen for liver cancer, and at those times a repeat SHAPE examination will be performed (ideally within 1 month of their clinically indicated imaging follow up appointment). In patients who undergo more frequent screening (generally 3 month intervals), SHAPE exams will be performed at 6 month intervals. Any repeat trans-jugular liver biopsies performed in this population will also trigger a repeat SHAPE study. Results of blood test evaluations (performed every 3 months in this population), medication, concomitant imaging study or procedure (including endoscopies) will be noted (all blood tests and imaging are clinically indicated only and are not required by this protocol). The end point for this part of the study will be any one new complication (e.g., liver cancer) or a marked worsening in any complication, liver transplantation, death, or the end of this clinical trial (after 3 years). The investigators expect these patients will be monitored three times during the course of this clinical trial. The time to reach the end point will be noted if a new complication or a marked worsening in any complication occurs.

Percutaneous Transhepatic Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt for Treatment of Portal Vein Occlusion...
HypertensionPortal2 moreTo evaluate the values of percutaneous transhepatic intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for treatment of portal vein occlusion with symptomatic portal hypertension after splenectomy.

The Influence of Aircraft Noise Exposure on Renal Hemodynamic in Healthy Individuals
Healthy IndividualsArterial HypertensionEpidemiological studies have found a link between aircraft noise exposure and increased incidence of arterial hypertension and thus cardiovascular disease. The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are not yet fully understood. The kidney acts as a long-term regulator of blood pressure and controls the extracellular sodium and water balance. Significant renal mechanisms of blood pressure regulation are the renin angiotensin system, renal sympathetic activity and sodium excretion. Animal work and clinical studies show that mental stress affects the renal plasma flow and urinary sodium excretion. The investigators observed a lower sodium excretion in situations of mental stress in subjects at risk for developing arterial hypertension. In healthy volunteers, a 30-minute mental stress test resulted in increased glomerular filtration rate, filtration fraction and an increase in urinary sodium excretion. In this pilot study the investigators analyzed the influence of 30 minutes standardized aircraft noise on renal and central hemodynamics.

OPTImizing Precision of Hypertension Care to Maximize Blood Pressure Control Pilot (OPTI-BP Pilot)...
High Blood PressureHypertension (HTN) is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure, kidney failure and stroke. Disparities in HTN prevalence, treatment and control in the US have persisted for decades. The prevalence of HTN is 44% among Blacks, which is among the highest rates in the world. Those in ethnic/racial, rural, socioeconomically disadvantaged and other medically underserved populations are known to have the worst blood pressure (BP) control. Awareness of, treatment for, and control of HTN is not optimal, and varies according to race, whereby BP is controlled in ~53% of non-Latino Whites, 42% of non-Latino Blacks and only 34% of Latinos. Fundamental underlying differences in the pathophysiology contribute to HTN among different race groups. The United States (US) 2014 HTN recommendations outline race-based pharmacotherapy care for HTN. However, these recommendations use race-based population assumptions for Whites and Blacks only, do not include Latino ethnicity and have no accompanying guidelines or tools for successful implementation, particularly in rural primary care practices where disparate populations are common. Moreover, these recommendations only apply to initial therapy and lack guidance on subsequent regimen selection. The Optimizing Precision of HTN Care to Maximize BP Control Pilot (OPTI-BP Pilot), will directly address a long known and growing health disparity concern in the US which includes higher rates of death from CHD and stroke among Blacks and the poorest rates of HTN control among Latinos. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, the overarching goal of OPTI-BP Pilot is to test, using a pragmatic trial design, a personalized, algorithmic-based HTN management approach focused on age, race, biomarker (plasma renin activity) and treatment factors. The investigators hypothesize that implementation of a precision-based approach to the care of HTN in the community will improve BP reduction and ultimately reduce risk for CHD, stroke and death among those most affected by HTN.OPTI-BP Pilot is significant because it will utilize an innovative, systematic, precision-focused HTN management approach in an underserved, diverse population where BP control is currently suboptimal and lays the infrastructure groundwork for broad implementation across all areas of the US to minimize HTN related disparities and improve HTN outcomes.

Non-invasive Diagnostics of Pulmonary Hypertension With Dual Energy Computed Tomography
Pulmonary Arterial HypertensionThe aim of the study is to determine relevant hemodynamic parameters for the diagnostics of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) by dynamic contrast enhanced dual-energy CT (DE-CT). In this prospective study the investigators validate DE-CT results of patients against hemodynamic parameters from right heart catheterisation and control the results by other clinical investigations. The investigators expect that using this non-invasive method, parameters relevant for the diagnosis of the patients with PAH, like pulmonary blood volume, blood flow and perfusion heterogeneity, can be determined.

Improved Self Management in Uncontrolled Systolic Hypertension
Systolic HypertensionPatients who receive smartphone-assisted health coaching will have a significantly lower 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure mean than patients who receive just health coaching

Aliskiren or Amlodipine in Hypertensive Hemodialysed Patients
HypertensionDialysisHypertensive haemodialysis patients are at high risk for cardiovascular events. This study was undertaken to ascertain whether aliskiren, a direct renin inhibitor, compared with amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker, reduces mortality and cardiovascular events in these high-risk patients.

Comparison of Nebivolol and Metoprolol With Exercise and Angiotensin II in Hypertensive Patients...
HypertensionThe purpose of this study is to determine if Nebivolol a) attenuates the angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced increase in oxidative stress, thereby attenuating Ang II-induced vasoconstriction; and b) attenuates sympathetic mediated vasoconstriction during exercise, thereby reducing functional skeletal muscle ischemia in hypertensive patients.