Active clinical trials for "Heart Failure"

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Salbutamol is effective in the treatment of severe heart failure due to ischemic and non- ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Background Heart failure is the final consequence of various heart disease and is also the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Diastolic dysfunction refers to an abnormality of diastolic distensibility, filling, or relaxation of the left ventricle. Patients with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy and an echocardiogram showing a normal ejection fraction and abnormal left ventricular filling can be said to have diastolic dysfunction. If pulmonary edema or effort dyspnea developed in such a patient. The term diastolic heart failure would be appropriate. Pathology leading to diastolic heart failure include: impaired relaxation, increased passive stiffness, endocardial and pericardial disorders, microvascular flow and neurohormonal regulation. Among them, the association of pro-inflammatory system and diastolic dysfunction are already established. The investigators therefore hypothesized that the change of serum inflammatory markers might be associated with the change of left ventricular diastolic function and the investigators thus conducted a randomized case-control trial with this regard. Method and materials This is a case-control randomized study. The definition of left ventricular diastolic function is according to Guideline from the ACC and AHA. The investigators will evaluate left ventricular diastolic function noninvasively by echocardiography before and after the intervention. Exclusion criteria include coronary artery disease, significant valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, pericardial disease and renal insufficiency. The investigators would like to enroll 50 cases and the same numbers of the controls. The inclusion criteria are subjects who underwent peritoneal dialysis at the investigators hospital for more than 6 months with higher pro-inflammation serum cytokine levels (C-reactive protein > 0.2mg/dL). Atorvastatin (40mg/day) would be given to those who were allocated to the intervention group. The investigators will than follow up cardiac diastolic function by echocardiography and also the change of serum markers. The investigators would also genotype the inflammation-associated genes and their promoter region and find the association between genetic polymorphisms and the treatment effects of statins.

The purpose of this study is to observe the incident of composite cardiovascular events after renal sympathetic modification using THERMOCOOL® catheter in patients with heart failure, and evaluate safety and efficacy of the intervention.

Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction have a equally high risk for mortality and re-hospitalization as those with reduced ejection fraction. Effective management strategies are critically needed to be established for this type of heart failure. These patients have more hypertensive and ischemic etiology than those with reduced ejection fraction. The investigators hypothesis is that Ca channel blocker nifedipine can improve the heart failure clinical composite response endpoint compared with the conventional treatment in patients with heart failure with hypertension and/or coronary artery disease and preserved ejection fraction (>=50%) by echocardiography. This study is multi-center, prospective, randomized, open-label, and blinded-endpoint design.

Mobilization of fluid from the legs with the Normatec pump in patients with right heart failure, may empty the "reservoir" in the legs from excessive fluid, enabling fluid overload to collect there rather than in the liver or in other third spaces. Thus, we hypothesize that patients will lose weight, feel better, look better, be less prone to infections in their legs and to congestion of the liver.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether cholecalciferol supplementation in patients with chronic heart failure and low vitamin D levels improves: performance at six minutes walking test echocardiographic parameters neurohormonal imbalance

This research study was designed to test the safety and effectiveness of autologous stem cell graft in the myocardium of patients with refractory Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) with ischemic etiology. Cellular implantation will take place during off-pump revascularization surgery or during an ad hoc procedure using a mini-thoracotomy access.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of a 4-week treatment period with GW501516X on how the heart obtains and uses energy. The energy of the heart will be measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This study will also measure a number of other potential markers of drug activity, including levels of certain lipids (fats) and proteins in your blood. The data from this study may help researchers better understand the actions of this drug in the body and if this drug may be useful to treat patients with heart disease.

Currently, the majority of heart failure patients who qualify for and receive a cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device feel better than before their implant. However, there are some patients who do not improve after the implant. Michigan Heart is sponsoring a research study called LOCATE-Pilot to help understand whether the information from an echocardiogram, performed before implanting the CRT device, improves patients' responses to CRT. This is being done by evaluating your heart's function with an echocardiogram, to measure your heart's response during therapy. The study hypothesis is that response to CRT may be optimized by guiding left ventricular lead placement to the maximally delayed, viable basal segment of the left ventricle.

This is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study evaluating the effects of UDCA on peripheral blood flow and immune function in patients with stable chronic heart failure (CHF). Sixteen patients with CHF will be recruited from the heart failure clinic at the Royal Brompton Hospital. Following baseline evaluation, patients will be randomised to receive either placebo or UDCA at a dose of 1000 mg/day for a period of four weeks. They will then undergo repeat evaluation (peripheral blood flow and immune function). A four week washout period will then take place before the patients cross-over to receive the respective other therapy for a further four weeks (i.e. those first receiving placebo will go onto receive UDCA and vice versa). The study will be completed after a total of twelve weeks, with a final assessment (peripheral blood flow and immune function).