Cardiovascular Diseases

Background: Injury or diseases of the heart and lung can sometimes cause scar tissue (fibrosis) to build up in those organs. Current imaging scans can see this scar tissue once it has formed, but researchers want to find a way to detect the fibrosis in its earliest stages, while there might still be time to prevent serious damage. A new tracer (a radioactive substance injected during imaging scans) may be able to help. Objective: To test a new tracer (18F-FAPI-74) during imaging scans in people with heart or lung disease. Eligibility: People aged 18 years and older with lung or heart disease that may cause scarring in those organs. Design: Participants will have 6 clinic visits over 2 years. Participants will be screened: They will have blood tests and tests of their heart and lung function. Those with heart disease will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the heart. The study tracer will be used with positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scans. The study tracer will be injected into a vein in the arm. Participants will lie on a padded bed that slides through a donut-shaped machine. Participants will have scans with the study tracer 2 times, 8 to 12 months apart. They will also have standard CT scans and blood tests during these visits. They will also have blood tests at 3 and 6 months between these visits. Participants will have a follow-up visit after 18 to 24 months. The study scans, MRI and standard CT scans, and lung function tests may be repeated....

Lipoprotein(a), also known as Lp(a), is a protein that carries cholesterol and proteins in your blood. People with high Lp(a) have a higher risk for heart disease. The main purpose of the study is to investigate how lepodisiran, compared to a placebo, affects the amount and type of plaque in the heart's vessels using an imaging technology known as Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) in adults who have high levels of Lp(a). Participation will last about 120 weeks.

The goal of this multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) stellate ganglion modulation for improving autonomic function and sleep quality in perioperative cardiovascular disease patients. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does LIFU improve heart rate variability and sleep characteristics from baseline at 3-7 days post-surgery compared to sham ultrasound? 2. Does LIFU improve serological markers, vital signs, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and reduce \>30-second perioperative arrhythmias? 3. What is the safety profile of LIFU in this population? 200 eligible patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive either active LIFU (2.0W, 1MHz, 50% duty cycle, 30min daily for 3-7 days) plus standard care, or identical sham ultrasound plus standard care. A four-party double-blind design (subjects, operators, assessors, analysts) will be implemented. The study will run from May 1, 2026 to April 1, 2027 at 6 centers in China. Participants will: 1. Complete pre-surgery screening and baseline assessments (PSQI, 12h ECG/sleep monitoring, residual blood sample collection) 2. Receive daily assigned ultrasound intervention for 3-7 consecutive days post-surgery 3. Undergo 72h continuous ECG monitoring post-surgery, and repeat assessments at 3-7 days 4. Have all adverse events and arrhythmias recorded throughout the study 5. May withdraw voluntarily at any time without affecting routine medical care

This study is open to adults with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. People can join the study if they have these conditions and do not have a history of heart failure. The purpose of this study is to find out if a medicine called vicadrostat, when taken with empagliflozin, helps reduce cardiovascular risk in people with these conditions. The study will compare this combination to a placebo version of vicadrostat with empagliflozin. Participants are put into 2 groups randomly, which means by chance. One group takes vicadrostat and empagliflozin tablets, and the other group takes placebo tablets with empagliflozin. Placebo tablets look like vicadrostat tablets but do not contain any medicine. Participants take a tablet once per day for 2 and a half years and up to 4 years and 3 months. All participants also continue their medication for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Participants have an equal chance of receiving the study medicine or placebo. Participants are in the study for up to 4 years and 3 months. During this time, they visit the study site regularly. During these visits, doctors collect information about participants' health and take blood samples. The doctors document when participants experience cardiovascular events. The doctors also regularly check participants' health and take note of any unwanted effects.

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a machine learning/artificial intelligence (AI)-based electrocardiogram (ECG) algorithm (rECHOmmend and ECG-AF) can identify undiagnosed cardiovascular disease in patients. It will also examine the safety and effectiveness of using this AI-based tool in a clinical setting. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Can the AI-based ECG algorithm improve the detection of atrial fibrillation and structural heart disease? 2. How does the use of this algorithm affect clinical decision-making and patient outcomes? Researchers will compare the outcomes of healthcare providers who receive the AI-based ECG results to those who do not. Participants (healthcare providers) will: Be randomized into two groups: one that receives AI-based ECG results and one that does not. In the intervention group, receive an assessment of their patient's risk of atrial fibrillation or structural heart disease with each ordered ECG. Decide whether to perform further clinical evaluation based on the AI-generated risk assessment as part of routine clinical care.

GoFreshSE is a randomized control trial, testing the effects of a home-delivered, dietitian-assisted, DASH-patterned grocery intervention on blood pressure in adults with high blood pressure in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Background: Diseases related to the immune system, blood clots, and blood vessels can affect every part of the body. These diseases are now known to be interrelated: People who have strokes, blood clots in their legs, or autoimmune disease, for example, are at greater risk of complications in the heart, brain, and other organs. Researchers want to learn more about how these diseases start, how they change over time, and how they affect different organs. Objective: To learn more about how inflammation and diseases of the blood vessels start and how they change over time. Eligibility: People aged 5 years and older with a disease related to blood clots, the immune system, or blood vessels. Healthy relatives of people with these diseases and unrelated healthy volunteers are also needed. Design: Participants will have a baseline visit: They will provide a medical history, physical exam and blood test. All other tests and procedures are optional; these may be spread over more than 1 day: Tests of heart and lung function. Fill in a family tree form. Imaging scans Treadmill or bike stress tests and a 6-minute walk test. Tests of blood pressure and the flow of blood through vessels. Photos of the face and body. Eye exams, with photos taken of the retina. Saliva and urine samples. Biopsies (tissues samples) of the skin and fat. Tests of thinking and mental function. Evaluations by other medical specialists. Participants may opt to return for repeat testing for up to 90 months (7.5 years). Some visits may be done by telehealth.

This is a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial of efficacy and safety of an FDA-approved angiotensin receptor blocker (losartan) to improve cardiopulmonary outcomes in individuals with pre-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) due to prolonged exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke.

This study aims to test the feasibility of a new systematic screening program to allow the early detection of individuals aged 50 years at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the resident in the province of Ascoli Piceno and without previous diagnosis, using the CUORE and FINDRISDC tools developed in the Project. The intervention will be conducted at the premises of the Prevention Department in Ascoli Piceno and San Benedetto del Tronto, within the Local Health Authority of Ascoli Piceno (Marche Region, Italy), throughout 2026. Eligible individuals will be invited, based on recruitment criteria, to the screening via a letter containing study information and participation instructions. Those willing to participate will book the appointment to undergo the screening in one of the two premises of the Prevention Department involved in the study (namely, San Benedetto del Tronto and Ascoli Piceno), through the regional reservation system (CUP). On the scheduled date, participants will visit the Prevention Department, where healthcare professionals (HCPs) will explain the study, obtain the informed consent, and collect data related to the CUORE and/or FINDRISC questionnaires, as well as sociodemographic information. The calculated scores will determine the 10-year risks of T2DM and major CVD events. Based on these risks, participants will be provided with tailored suggested pathways. A summary letter outlining these pathways will be delivered, and, in case of consent, results will be added to the participants' Electronic Health Record. Follow-up calls will be scheduled at 3 (T1) and 6 (T2) months to assess adherence to the suggested pathway (e.g., visit the General Practitioner (GP), lifestyle counselling) through a phone call.

The goal of this clinical study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous pulmonary artery denervation with the Multi-Pole Pulmonary Artery Radiofrequency Ablation Enhancor System in patients with combined pre- and post-capillary pulmonary hypertension (CpcPH) associated with left heart disease (LHD). This randomized control trial will compare the investigational device (The Enhancor System) to control (medical therapy.) Participants who will consist of patients with chronic heart failure (HF) who are receiving maximally tolerated guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for left heart failure, are clinically stable, and who have been diagnosed with CpcPH by right heart catheterization (RHC), will be treated with PADN and followed for 3 years.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the BrioVAD System by demonstrating non-inferiority to the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist System when used for the treatment of advanced, refractory, left ventricular heart failure.

The development of type II diabetes (T2D) is strongly associated with obesity and both are well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Knowing that vascular dysfunction is an early event in the development of cardiovascular disease in obese diabetic (OB-T2D) patients, The investigators set their long-term goal to define molecular mechanisms of vascular dysfunction and corrective strategies that target these mechanisms such as physical activity and weight loss. The investigators recently discovered that human adipose tissues release extracellular vesicles (adiposomes) that are efficiently captured by endothelial cells. Adiposomes are known to carry bioactive cargos such as proteins and micro RNAs; however, their lipid content has not been studied nor has their ability to transfer their lipid cargo to endothelial cells. In the current application, the investigators propose to investigate the role of adiposomes in communicating the unhealthy milieu, mainly dysregulated lipids, to endothelial cells in OB-T2D subjects. On top of these lipid species that the investigators propose to be carried by adiposomes are glycosphingolipids (GSLs). These lipids originate from the glycosylation of ceramides, a chemical process that is upregulated in the presence of inflammation and high glucose levels. Preliminary findings showed that in endothelial cells, GSL-rich adiposomes disturb plasma membrane structure and subsequently induce endothelial dysfunction. Moreover, the investigators found that preconditioning endothelial cells with high shear stress (which is an exercise mimetic) protected endothelial cells from the detrimental effects induced by adiposomes. Therefore, the central hypothesis is that adipose tissues in OB-T2D patients release GSL-loaded adiposomes that induce vascular endothelial dysfunction. The researchers propose that exercise and weight loss interventions (bariatric surgery) will restore adipose tissue homeostasis, reduce GSL-loaded adiposomes, and subsequently alleviate vascular risk in OB-T2D patients. The investigators will test the hypotheses by pursuing the following aims: aim 1: Investigate the role of GSL-rich adiposomes in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction in OB-T2D adults; aim 2: Test the effectiveness of exercise training in reducing adiposome-mediated effects on vascular function; and aim 3: Examine changes in adiposome/caveolae axis following metabolic surgery and their association with vascular function.

It is unknown if obesity contributes to the development of heart disease in African American men and women. This study was created to determine whether there is a relationship between sex and body size and the incidence of heart disease in African American men and women. Researchers will attempt to associate obesity with the presence of heart disease risk factors. Risk factors that will be studied include; total body fat, body fat distribution, fat content of the blood (triglyceride concentration, low density lipoproteins \[LDL\], and high density lipoproteins \[HDL\]), how fast fat is removed from the blood, and how well insulin works in the body. Scientific studies have shown that obesity and increased levels of fat content in the blood are important risk factors for heart disease in Caucasian women. However, similar studies in African American women have failed to show the same correlation. In fact, it appears that African American women in all three body weight groupings, nonobese, overweight, and obese experience high death rates due to heart disease. In addition, prior research has shown that obese African American men tend to have elevated levels of fat in the blood while African American women have normal blood fat levels. Therefore, if high levels of triglycerides (fat found in the blood) are not seen in non-diabetic obese African American women, it cannot be considered a risk factor in this population. This suggests that studies conducted on Caucasian women may not provide insight into heart disease risk factors in African American women. The study will take 2000 healthy non-diabetic African American men and women (ages 18-70) and body mass index 3 subgroups; nonobese, overweight and obese. Diabetes undeniably increases the risk of heart disease. Therefore patients suffering from diabetes will not be included in the study. Candidates for the study will undergo a series of tests and examinations over 2 outpatient visits. Subjects will have body fat analyses, resting energy expenditure measurements, an EKG (electrocardiogram), and specific blood tests. Researchers believe this study will provide significant insight into the causes of obesity and heart disease in African Americans.

This observational study will evaluate the cardiovascular effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2 inhibitors) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 receptor agonists) in Korean adults with type 2 diabetes. The study consists of two phases. Phase 1 will use de-identified electronic health record data from multiple Korean hospitals organized in a common data model. Cardiovascular outcomes, including myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and hospitalization for heart failure, will be compared among patients who started an SGLT2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Fractures, metabolic changes, and real-world medication use will also be evaluated. Phase 2 will prospectively enroll approximately 100 adults with type 2 diabetes who are starting an SGLT2 inhibitor as part of routine clinical care at Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital. Participants will undergo electrocardiography, AI-based ECG analysis, echocardiography, blood and urine tests, and body composition assessment at baseline. Approximately 50 participants with stage B heart failure, defined as structural or functional heart abnormalities without heart failure symptoms, will undergo the same assessments after 6 months. The primary outcome of Phase 2 is the change in echocardiographic global longitudinal strain from baseline to 6 months. The study will also examine whether changes detected by AI-based ECG are associated with changes in echocardiographic measures of cardiac function. The study does not assign medications or alter routine treatment. All treatment decisions are made by the participants' treating physicians.

The County Council of Region Skåne, Sweden, has recently initiated Targeted Health Dialogues in primary care. The prevention program includes health dialogues provided by specially trained personnel, collection of clinical and laboratory data as well as questionnaire data on, e.g., individual health and health behaviors. So far, it enrolls all 40-year old Swedish and foreign-born inhabitants in the county and it will also include all 50- and 60-year old persons within a near future. A research project will be integrated within the program where the collected data will be linked, on the individual level, to national and regional data on hospital admissions, clinical diagnoses from specialist clinics and primary care, causes of death, and prescriptions. The individual linkages will also include population data on sociodemographic characteristics, neighborhood of residence and family relations. Blood samples will be collected for analyses of molecular biomarkers. The research project will examine associations between potential predictors and future risk of cardiovascular diseases and other serious diseases, such as cancer, and also whether the effect of the prevention program is modified by these potential predictors. The effect of the intervention will be examined, and whether the protocol needs to be modified in order to develop more precise and personalized medicine.

Selution Iberia registry is a post-market clinical follow-up, prospective, multicenter, international, longitudinal, observational study without a control group of consecutive unselected "real-world" patients with coronary artery disease in whom it was decided to use the SELUTION SLRTM device in the treatment of primary native lesions and ISR (in-stent restenosis) in all settings, in order to evaluate its effectiveness and safety. The primary objective is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Sirolimus-eluting balloon SELUTION SLRTM based strategy in the treatment of native coronary artery stenosis and in-stent restenosis. The primary endpoint will be the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events at 12 months, including death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or target lesion revascularization for ischemia, in an unselected "real-world" patient setting. Both Device Oriented Composite Endpoint (Cardiovascular death, device failure-related myocardial infarction or device failure-related ischaemia) and Patient Oriented Composite Endpoint (all cause death, any stroke, any myocardial infarction or any revascularization) will be detailed.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a postpartum bundle intervention can improve cardiometabolic health and lifestyle-related factors in women who have had preeclampsia during their first pregnancy. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the 9-month intervention reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure? * Does the intervention promote postpartum weight loss? * Does the intervention affect weight and blood pressure depending on early pregnancy BMI? Researchers will compare the bundle intervention to standard care to see if the intervention improves cardiometabolic health and lifestyle outcomes. All participants will attend clinical visits for outcome assessments. Participants in the intervention group will: * Receive online targeted screening and group meetings with study personnel * Use the trial-specific PEPP app to access self-monitoring tools for blood pressure and weight, lifestyle modification, and health education * Follow the intervention in two phases: starting after inclusion (≈8 weeks postpartum) with a Light phase (baseline-3 months) and progressing to an Intensive phase (3-9 months)

Heart diseases and other non-communicable diseases are serious health issues in countries like Pakistan. Many people who work in offices, like bank employees, sit for more than 8 hours a day. This is called a sedentary lifestyle, and it increases the risk of heart diseases. This research project aims to find out if a newly developed context specific mobile phone application can help these sedentary employees to improve their lifestyle. The app, called m-LIfE (mHealth-based Lifestyle Intervention for Employees), will be designed to help employees to move more during the day and eat healthier food like fruits and vegetables. The study will involve bank employees in urban Karachi, Pakistan. They will be divided into two arms: Intervention arm: Participants in this arm will use the m-LIfE app for 12 weeks. They will get reminders and tips to take breaks, exercise, and eat healthy. Routine care arm: Participants in this arm will receive printed basic educational material about prevention of risk factors of heart diseases and improving lifestyle. After the 12 weeks of intervention, there will be a follow-up period at 4th week to check if participants are maintaining healthy habits. This study could help find simple and affordable ways to improve the health of office workers and reduce pressure on the healthcare system.

Patients with various cardiac conditions (such as those who experience a heart attack) are increasing in Canada and are in need of appropriate cardiac rehabilitation and care. Many patients do not have access to local in-person cardiac clinics, particularly in rural regions of Canada. A user-friendly digital application with accessible educational resources and recommendations based on the most up to date clinical practice guidelines can help mitigate these issues. VIRTUES is a digital healthcare application that targets 11 modifiable modules as follows: 1. antithrombotic management 2. lipid management 3. rate and rhythm control for atrial fibrillation 4. heart failure care 5. post myocardial infarction care 6. blood sugar management 7. blood pressure management 8. physical activity 9. healthy eating 10. smoking cessation 11. alcohol reduction Of the 11 total modules, the first 7 listed provide recommendations in VIRTUES. The remaining 4 (physical activity, healthy eating, smoking cessation and alcohol reduction) consist of simple referrals to existing recommendations (i.e., for healthy eating and physical exercise) and referrals to existing local programs (i.e., for smoking cessation and alcohol reduction). Thus, in this cohort study, the investigators will test the primary 7 modules with 200 patients per module for approximately one month each in order to obtain feedback on the usability of each module. The investigators will also conduct virtual focus group discussions to obtain open ended feedback on the application. This study will provide valuable feedback, which will be used to improve and adapt the VIRTUES platform.

This study takes patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention as the research subjects and employs a prospective observational cohort design, aiming to develop and validate a "one-stop" photon-counting computed tomography imaging framework. The one-stop PCCT protocol implies that multiple assessments are acquired through a single examination, including coronary CT angiography for stent and native artery evaluation, resting first-pass myocardial iodine distribution imaging, and delayed myocardial extracellular volume quantification, with cardiac cine imaging performed in a prespecified dose-controlled substudy.

The objective of the Global Paradise® System US Post Approval Study (US GPS) is to evaluate the real-world use of the Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation System indicated for patients who are unable to lower their blood pressure with lifestyle changes and medication. This system is comprised of a catheter, cable, balloon, and generator and has received FDA approval in the United States. Information collected in this study will be analyzed to better understand the long-term safety and effectiveness of treatment with the Paradise System for patients with high blood pressure.

The OPTIMAL randomized clinical trial has been designed to compare two imaging strategies and to test the hypothesis that a calcium modification strategy informed by coronary CT angiography (CCTA) will improve procedural efficiency and effectiveness compared with the current standard of care (IVUS-guided PCI) while achieving similar clinical outcomes in patients with hemodynamically significant calcified coronary artery disease.

People with chest pain are often tested for a heart attack using a blood test called high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn). Traditionally, this blood test is repeated 3 hours after the first sample. Newer guidelines recommend repeating the test after 1 hour instead, which may allow patients to receive a diagnosis and leave the hospital sooner. The purpose of the DanRUSH trial is to compare these two strategies: repeating the blood test after 1 hour versus after 3 hours in adults with suspected acute coronary syndrome. The study will evaluate whether the 1-hour strategy is as safe as the 3-hour strategy while reducing the length of hospital stay. DanRUSH is a nationwide, pragmatic, cluster-randomized trial conducted in emergency- and cardiology departments across Denmark. The results will help determine the best timing for blood testing in patients with suspected heart attack and improve future care for these patients.

Recently a dietary recommendation of 400 - 600 mg/ day has been proposed for the reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Dietary flavanols can be obtained from the intake of foods such as tea, cocoa, wine, berries and apples. Incorporating Chardonnay Marc (the skins and seeds of Chardonnay grapes) into the diet can be an additional source of dietary flavanols. Like other flavanol-rich foods, Chardonnay Marc provides fiber and polysaccharides that may benefit gut health. This study seeks pilot data on the impact of the daily incorporation of Chardonnay Marc powder into the diet on markers of gut and cardiometabolic health.

This prospective registry study investigates the impact of new hormone replacement therapy (HRT) delivery methods, such as creams, gels, and sprays, on cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women. Menopause-related estrogen deficiency leads to metabolic and vascular changes that increase atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. This study hypothesizes that new HRT forms may reduce cardiovascular risk in high-risk women."