Active clinical trials for "Heart Failure"

The overall purpose of the randomized controlled study is to evaluate the effects of physical exercise, nutrition and symptom management on physical capacity in older, frail persons with heart failure.

This study compares the effectiveness of two different approaches to advance care planning among older African Americans and older Whites living in the community. The two approaches are a structured approach with an advance care planning conversation led by a trained person using Respecting Choices (First Steps) and a patient-driven approach which includes a Five Wishes advance care planning form written in plain language. The study will determine which approach is more effective at increasing advance care planning within each racial group and reducing differences between the two groups in advance care planning.

This study is intended to evaluate the impact of passive continuous remote patient monitoring to assist in the outpatient management of heart failure (HF) patients.

This is a non-randomized interventional prospective study, aiming to provide insight into cardiac substrate utilization in the fed state. Patients will participate during an elective PVI procedure which would have taken place regardless of the current study. During this study, study subjects will receive peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) through an intravenous (iv) line. During the procedure, blood samples will be drawn from the catheters which will be in situ for the purpose of the elective PVI procedure. Cardiac arteriovenous (A-V) gradients of metabolites will be measured, reflecting cardiac uptake and release of metabolites in the fed state.

Heart failure (HF) represents a major problem in today's health care landscape and is expected to grow in the next years due to an aging population and improved treatments. In many cases, the evaluation of the volemia status of patients with left ventricular dysfunction is not easy in the outpatient setting, due to limitations of physical examination in stable patients, as well as the tolerance to chronic HF they have. The aim of this study is to determine whether the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is useful in determining the real clinical stability of chronic HF, its potential implications for clinical management and patient follow-up, as well as for the adjustment of pharmacological treatment. This study is observational, single-center, single-blind and outpatient. It includes patients with a previous diagnosis of HF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40%, who are stable at the time of inclusion. Follow-up is estimated to be 12 months.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an effective therapeutic strategy in patients with symptomatic heart failure (HF) patients with LVEF of ≤35% and left bundle branch block (LBBB). However, approximately one-third of CRT-recipients do not improve after therapy (non-responders), despite meeting the required criteria. Previous studies have documented that the positive respons to CRT is related to the delayed electrical activation of the left ventricle in patients with LBBB. It has also been illustrated that non-ischemic CRT-candidates with LBBB demonstrate lower regional myocardial blood flow and metabolism in the septum. Additionally, it has been suggested that LBBB can lead to impaired coronary blood flow in the left anterior descending artery (LAD). This observation is based on an echocardiography-based study, that showed that the percentage of diastolic flow duration (%DD) in LAD was shorter in patients with LBBB compared to the control-group and patients with right-ventricular pacing. It has been demonstrated that CRT has positive effects on septal myocardial perfusion in patients with HF and LBBB. The dominant hypothesis explaining this phenomenon is built on improved septal myocardial work after CRT-implantation, which leads to increased myocardial energy and therefore increased myocardial perfusion. In contrast, it has been suggested that due to re-established synchronous left ventricular electrical activation, CRT reduces the septal intramyocardial pressure in early diastole, leading to a relatively longer antegrade flow duration in LAD. Therefore, the aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of CRT on coronary blood flow in LAD in patients with non-ischemic HF and LBBB. The investigators hypothesize that increased LV-function after CRT not only is due to resynchronized LV ejection and filling, but also improved coronary flow. The study aims to enroll 60 patients with heart failure due to non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, LBBB, with or without CRT. All patients meeting the criteria will be recruited from the outpatient clinic at the Department of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital. Invasive flow measurements in the LAD, including fractional flow reserve (FFR), absolute coronary flow and -reserve will be conducted with the CRT on and off, respectively.

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) leads the global mortality statistics. Atherosclerotic plaques in coronary arteries hallmark IHD, drive hypoxia, and may rupture to result in myocardial infarction (MI) and death of contractile cardiac muscle, which is eventually replaced by a scar. Depending on the extent of the damage, dysbalanced cardiac workload often leads to emergence of heart failure (HF). The atrial appendages, enriched with active endocrine and paracrine cardiac cells, has been characterized to contain cells promising in stimulating cardiac regenerative healing. In this AAMS2 randomized controlled and double-blinded trial, we use the patient's own tissue from the right atrial appendage (RAA) for therapy. A piece from the RAA can be safely harvested upon the set-up of the heart and lung machine at the beginning of coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery. In the AAMS2 trial, a piece of the RAA tissue is processed and utilized as epicardially transplanted atrial appendage micrografts (AAMs) for CABG-support therapy. In our preclinical evaluation, epicardial AAMs transplantation after MI attenuated scarring and improved cardiac function. Proteomics suggested an AAMs-induced glycolytic metabolism, a process associated with an increased regenerative capacity of myocardium. In an open-label clinical trial, we have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of AAMs therapy. Moreover, as this study suggested increased thickness of the viable myocardium in the scarred area, it also provided the first indication of therapeutic benefit. Based on randomization with estimated enrolment of a total of 50 patients with 1:1 group allocation ratio, the piece of RAA tissue is either perioperatively processed to AAMs or cryostored. The AAMs, embedded in a fibrin matrix gel, are placed on an extracellular matrix sheet (ECM), which is then epicardially sutured in place. The location is determined by preoperative late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-CMRI) to pinpoint the ischemic scar. Study blood samples, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and LGE-CMRI are performed before and at 6-month follow-up after the surgery. The trial's primary endpoints focus on changes in cardiac fibrosis as evaluated by LGE-CMRI and circulating levels of N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Secondary endpoints center on other efficacy parameters, as well as both safety and feasibility of the therapy.

Rheumatic mitral stenosis remains a health problem in developing countries. Progressive fibrosis of the valves and myocardium is the main pathophysiology that plays an important role. Dapagliflozin has various beneficial effects on the heart by reducing fibrosis, reducing inflammation, and improving patient quality of life. However, the role of this therapy is unknown in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of colchicine on heart failure related health status, quality of life, and vascular and cardiac function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

The goal of this observational study is to compare the safety and effectiveness of a modified drug therapy with traditional drug therapy in pediatric heart failure patients. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can a modified drug therapy improve left ventricular function in pediatric heart failure patients? Can the adverse drug reactions caused by the modified drug therapy be non-inferior (clinically acceptable) to those of the traditional drug therapy? Participants will be assigned to either the Modified Drug Therapy Group (comprising angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I), beta-blockers, diuretics, potassium supplements, and spironolactone) or the Traditional Drug Therapy Group (diuretics and potassium supplements) based on personal preferences and clinical assessments by their attending physicians. They will undergo a 6-months course of medication. Additionally, echocardiography, electrocardiograms, complete blood counts, biochemical tests, and measurements of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were conducted before the initiation of medication therapy and at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment commencement. Researchers will compare the Modified Drug Therapy Group and the Traditional Drug Therapy Group to see if the recurrence rate of moderate to severe mitral valve regurgitation, as assessed by echocardiography after 6 months of treatment, is lower in the former than in the latter.