Vascular Inflammation ReDuction and Perivascular Fat Imaging by Computed Tomography
Coronary Artery DiseaseAtheroscleroses2 moreThe goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effect of standard of care management vs. CaRi-Heart based management on vascular inflammation in patients with increased Fat Attenuation Index-Score. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does treatment intensification reduce vascular inflammation detected by perivascular fat imaging to a greater extent than standard of care treatment? Do changes in vascular inflammation biomarkers correlate with changes in lipid metrics or inflammatory biomarkers, such as interleukin-6? Participants will be randomized either to standard of care treatment or intensified treatment with maximum dose of atorvastatin +/- low dose of colchicine. After their inclusion, study participants will be followed-up for 6 months with regular monitoring for adverse events and blood will be drawn at 3 and 6 months. After the 6-month follow-up, participants will undergo CCTA imaging for fat attenuation index measurements. Researchers will compare standard of care and vascular inflammation-based treatment to see if inflammation-based treatment is more potent against vascular inflammation.
Feasibility of High-Intensity Interval Nordic Walking in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Artery DiseaseCoronary revascularization, such as heart bypass surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI [inserting a stent to open up blood vessels]) improve survival for people with coronary artery disease. Yet, many patients suffer from poor physical and mental health after coronary revascularization. Traditional cardiac rehabilitation involving moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training (MICT) improves physical and mental health. However, alternative exercise programs, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and Nordic walking may provide superior benefits. Nordic walking is like Nordic skiing but uses specifically designed poles for walking. Nordic walking involved core, upper and lower body muscles, resulting in greater energy expenditure while reducing loading stress at the knee. To date, HIIT used in cardiac rehabilitation settings has focused on lower body (e.g., leg cycling). The investigators are not aware of HIIT protocols that target both upper and lower body at the same time. An exercise program that combines HIIT and Nordic walking (HIIT-NoW) may offer an alternative time-efficient whole-body exercise to improve physical and mental health. This study will test if HIIT-NoW can be an alternative exercise option to improve physical and mental health in patients with coronary artery disease.
Feasibility of Prediabetes Remission in Adults With Coronary Heart Disease
Prediabetic StateCoronary Heart Disease2 moreTo evaluate the feasibility of a 6-month multidisciplinary program to reverse prediabetes in adults with coronary heart disease using the Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting and exercise.
Ischaemic PReconditioning In Non Cardiac surgEry
Myocardial IschemiaSurgerySeveral randomized trials suggested a cardioprotective beneficial effect (eg reduction in cardiac troponin release) of remote ischemic preconditioning in cardiac surgery. Remote ischemic preconditioning by brief episodes of ischemia and reperfusion in a remote organ or vascular territory provides protection from injury by myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. In the translation of remote ischemic preconditioning from bench to bedside, the first proof of principle and small randomized controlled trials have shown a decreased release of myocardial biomarkers after aortic, congenital cardiac, adult valve and coronary artery by-pass graft surgery. This reduction in cardiac biomarkers release translated into better survival in a recent randomized trial performed in cardiac surgery. No clinical trial on remote ischemic preconditioning in non-cardiac surgery setting has been performed so far. The investigators study wants to test, for the first time, the hypothesis that remote ischaemic preconditioning is effective in reducing cardiac damage in high risk patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Remote ischaemic preconditioning will be achieved by inflation of a blood-pressure cuff to 200 mm Hg to the upper arm for 5 minutes, followed by 5 minutes reperfusion while the cuff will be deflated. General anesthesia will be induced and maintained without using propofol in both groups. Cardiac troponin will be used as marker of cardiac damage. If the results of a reduction in postoperative cardiac troponin release and perioperative cardiac ischaemic events will be confirmed in a non-cardiac surgery setting, the investigators could improve a strategy to prevent perioperative cardiac complication easy to apply, safe and low cost.
Stress Management in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
StressPsychologicalIntroduction: Stress can cause hemodynamic and metabolic changes that contribute to endothelial dysfunction and there is a significant association between high stress and cardiovascular events. Objective: To evaluate the influence of stress management on endothelial function in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: Randomized, controlled, parallel, intention-to-treat clinical trial. Will be considered eligible patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and who have high stress (above average for the Brazilian population) in the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Patients will be evaluated on PCI admission and stress management with cognitive behavioral techniques will be implemented one month after hospital discharge in the intervention group. Group sessions will be held between 6-9 people. There will be 4 1-hour meetings for 8 weeks. The primary outcome will be the difference in the variation of brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) between the groups and at 3 months of baseline evaluation and at 6-month follow-up after the intervention and the secondary outcome will be the difference in the variation of the velocity of brachial artery. Pulse wave evaluated at the same time periods as DMF. Outcomes will be evaluated by Generalized Estimation Equations (GEE). Expected Results: In patients undergoing high-stress percutaneous coronary intervention, the use of cognitive behavioral techniques for stress management will improve endothelial function and vascular stiffness.
BVS Implantation in Patients With Variant Angina and MODerate Coronary Artery Disease
Angina PectorisVariantThe purpose of this study is to determine whether BVS(Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold) implantation with optimal medical therapy can improve the outcome of patients with variant angina and moderate coronary artery disease.
Strength-building Lifestyle-integrated Intervention
SarcopeniaCoronary Artery DiseaseThis study aims to 1) develop a strength-building lifestyle-integrated intervention for sarcopenic CAD patients and to 2) examine the feasibility and 3) preliminary effects of this intervention on skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance, cardiac-related functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), psychological distress, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCE) and hospital readmission rates
The Effect of Structured Lifestyle Modification and Yoga Practice on Metabolic Processes Associated...
Coronary Artery DiseaseThe aim of the prospective randomized single center study is to evaluate the effect of a short-term (16 weeks) yoga program on micro RNA (miRNA) expression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in patients with CVD.
Personalized Activity Intervention in Rehabilitation After Cardiac Operations (the PACO Trial)
Coronary Artery DiseaseAortic Valve Stenosis1 moreThe PACO trial is a randomized clinical trial conducted in Heart Centers of Kuopio and Turku university hospitals. The coronary artery disease, aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve insufficiency patients preparing for elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), aortic valve replacement (AVR) or mitral valve repair (MVR) will be randomized to either intervention or control group. The specific operation groups (CABG, AVR and MVR) will be analyzed separately. The 7-day baseline measurements of sedentary behaviour (SB), physical activity (PA) and sleep will be conducted to the patients by using the RM42 accelerometer during the pre-operative month. After the cardiac procedure is completed and the patient is moved to post-operative ward, the control group patients will begin the standard post-operative rehabilitation program of the participating hospitals (activity guidance given by a physiotherapist). Patients in the intervention groups will follow the identical program but after discharge they will also receive personalized activity guidance through the combination of ExSed smart phone application, Suunto MoveSense accelerometer and cloud system during the first 90 days of post-operative rehabilitation. Weekly evolving daily goals to replace SB with PA (daily goals for steps, moderate PA, light PA and standing, and sitting time limit) will be designed for each patient of the intervention groups. A new daily step goal will be delivered from the cloud system to the patient's smart phone in the beginning of each week of the intervention. The daily step goal of the first intervention week is based on patient's walking distance assessed by a physiotherapist in post-operative ward. The following goals will be automatically evolved in the basis of patient's personal average step count of the previous week. The MoveSense accelerometer will measure accumulated levels of SB, PA and sleep, and transmit the data to user's ExSed application with Bluetooth. With information about accumulated levels of SB and PA, the application is able to guide the patient to accomplish the predefined activity goal. The guidance and motivation will be offered with pop-up notifications and histograms (columns are fulfilled according to patient's accumulated daily activity). The researches retain a remote access to the activity data of patients in the cloud system. The ExSed application will be connected to the cloud system with internet connection. In addition, the patients of the intervention groups will receive short video files (lasting from 1 to 3 minutes) containing exercise guidance from a physiotherapist specialized to cardiac operation patients. These videos are available on the ExSed application during the intervention. The physiotherapist will also contact each patient (by mobile phone) with structured contact form from 1 to 4 times in a month to make sure that the intervention is proceeding as designed.
Effectiveness of TechCR Among CHD Patients
Coronary Heart DiseaseDuring this ongoing pandemic, there is a crucial need for innovative approaches to deliver CR programmes other than frequent face-to-face sessions at the centre-based CR to reduce the number of times people come close in contact with others or gathering in large groups. This is a single setting, 2-arm parallel randomised clinical trial which aims to examine the effects of technology-assisted interventions in hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (TecHCR) among the coronary heart disease patients. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned into either intervention group (IG) or control group (CG) in 1:1 ratio using the computerised permuted blocks, alternating block sizes of 4 or 6. All participants will be followed up for three months and six months with data collection at baseline, (T0), three-month (T1) and six-month (T2) time points.