Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits (plaques) build up inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Some plaques remain stable, while others continue to grow or become more likely to rupture, which can lead to a heart attack. Identifying plaques that are at higher risk of progression could help doctors provide earlier and more personalized treatment. The purpose of this study is to determine whether combining information about blood flow within the coronary arteries with information about a person's biological response to blood flow can improve prediction of plaque growth. Participants undergoing treatment for coronary artery disease will have a specialized heart scan to assess blood flow patterns around plaques in their coronary arteries. Researchers will also collect blood samples to study cells that line blood vessels and investigate how these cells respond to blood flow forces. The study will follow participants over time to determine whether plaques are more likely to progress in individuals who show a stronger biological response to abnormal blood flow. The findings may help researchers develop new ways to identify patients at higher risk of future heart problems and support the development of more personalized approaches to prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease.

Coronary artery disease, caused by the furring up of the heart arteries by atherosclerosis, is a major cause of death in the UK. Despite existing therapies, adverse cardiovascular events remains high, especially in patients who have already had a heart attack, as some of these patients have aggressive atherosclerotic disease. If we could identify these vulnerable patients, then in wider clinical practice in the future we might be able to treat them better with new therapies that can otherwise be expensive or come with a risk of side-effects. Traditionally, the assessment of atherosclerotic disease and the identification of the plaques that will cause heart attacks is performed using invasive imaging - imaging taken by passing a wire into the arteries of the heart that has a camera on its tip. Invasive imaging, however, can be used only in patients with symptoms and has risks. Photon counting (PC) CT is a new CT system that has image quality comparable to invasive imaging and can be used in the community to examine individuals with stable angina symptoms. In this study we aim to compare how well PC-CT detects high-risk plaques compared with invasive imaging and in due course develop a platform that will expedite the analysis of CT images to allow its broad use in the clinical practice.

Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality among postmenopausal women. Resveratrol, a phenolic compound with antioxidant properties, may influence lipid metabolism, endothelial function, and platelet aggregation, while sirtuin-1 and sirtuin-3 regulate metabolic and hormonal responses to nutritional stimuli. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluates the effects of trans-resveratrol supplementation (1000 mg/day) versus placebo, over 90 days, on serum estradiol and estrone levels, gene expression of estrogen receptors alpha and beta, and sirtuins 1 and 3 in 80 postmenopausal women with CAD. Findings may inform therapeutic strategies for postmenopausal women with chronic coronary disease.

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, and timely reperfusion with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the gold-standard treatment1. Current guidelines recommend a door-to-balloon (DTB) time of 90 minutes or less, as the benefits of PPCI increase in direct correlation with the brevity of reperfusion time. However, there is consistent epidemiological evidence that STEMI patients presenting during off-hours (nights, weekends, and holidays) experience delays in reperfusion and worse in-hospital outcomes compared to those presenting during regular business hours. Two competing hypotheses dominate the literature. The systems hypothesis suggests that delays in care delivery during nights and weekends-including longer catheterization laboratory activation time, reduced availability of experienced operators, and logistical constraints-are the primary drivers of worse outcomes. In support of this, some studies have found that the mortality difference between off-hours and on-hours presentations is attenuated after adjusting for DTB time (Chung et al., 2020), suggesting that system-level process measures may be actionable targets for quality improvement. Alternatively, the intrinsic severity hypothesis suggests that nocturnal STEMI presentations represent inherently more severe infarcts-characterized by higher thrombus burden, larger myocardial infarction size, and more frequent complications such as cardiogenic shock-independent of how rapidly reperfusion is achieved. Recent studies examining circadian variation in infarct size and myocardial injury biomarkers have found evidence of larger infarcts and worse systolic function in nocturnal-onset STEMI, with long-term mortality implications. Critically, the vast majority of evidence in this field derives from retrospective registry data, particularly from North American and Western European cohorts. Data from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where demographic and healthcare system profiles differ substantially from developed nations, are essentially absent from the literature. Furthermore, contemporary data on the prospective relationships between time-of-PPCI, operator experience, procedural quality parameters (such as myocardial blush grade and ST-segment resolution), and outcomes remain limited. A prospective study with granular intra-procedural data collection offers the opportunity to: (1) quantify the magnitude of the off-hours effect in a Middle Eastern context; (2) decompose the DTB time into its components to identify specific system bottlenecks; (3) assess whether operator seniority and team composition confound or mediate the off-hours effect6; and (4) evaluate whether procedural quality metrics (reperfusion grade, thrombus burden, microvascular perfusion) differ between daytime and nighttime PPCI and contribute to outcome disparities independent of system factors.

The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Inspiron™ EVO drug-eluting stent in complex coronary lesions in a real-world population. Patients with symptomatic ischemic heart disease due to lesions in native coronary arteries and restenotic lesions will be treated with the Inspiron™ EVO drug-eluting stent.

The purpose of this research is to collect the magnetic signals from the heart to identify features that may help Emergency Department (ED) doctors differentiate high and low risk patients for heart related chest pain.

International, Multicenter, prospective, non-randomized, post-market clinical follow-up (PMCF) study to confirm and support the clinical safety and performance of Coroflex® ISAR NEO coronary stent system to meet EU Medical Device regulation (MDR) requirements in all the CONSECUTIVE patients treated with Coroflex® ISAR NEO coronary stent system sirolimus eluting stent.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common cardiovascular condition characterized by the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. CAD represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly among individuals aged 40 and older, affecting millions of men and women worldwide. Patients with CAD experience not only physical symptoms but also psychological challenges, including stress and anxiety, which can negatively impact quality of life. In recent years, mindfulness-based interventions have emerged as scientifically supported approaches to help individuals with chronic diseases manage stress and enhance emotional regulation skills. While the existing literature includes studies evaluating the effects of mindfulness-based interventions in CAD and other cardiovascular conditions, most investigations address mixed patient populations and do not thoroughly examine sex-specific differences. Notably, women with CAD may experience symptoms and psychological effects differently than men. Therefore, there is a need for tailored, comprehensive intervention models that address the multidimensional needs of female patients, including stress management, anxiety reduction, and empowerment. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in women with CAD, providing a targeted approach that addresses both clinical and psychosocial outcomes. The findings are expected to offer valuable insights into improving quality of life and enhancing coping strategies for women living with chronic cardiovascular disease.

The MICRA-HYBRID trial is a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled study comparing multivessel hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) as minimally invasive arterial bypass grafting to left-sided coronary targets (LAD and LCx) plus PCI of the RCA versus conventional off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) via median sternotomy in patients with three-vessel coronary artery disease. The primary goal is to evaluate whether multivessel-HCR provides superior 30-day "textbook" clinical outcomes (mortality, MI, stroke, re-exploration for bleeding, and other complications) while improving perioperative recovery and long-term cardiovascular outcomes.

The Health for Hungary (H4H) study collects blood samples and corresponding health data to investigate healthy aging and health-to-disease transitions in middle-aged and elderly participants. Indications Studied: Apparently healthy, symptom-free participants are enrolled and followed up to study the onset of new-onset diseases with special emphasis on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Study Design: Single-country, multicenter, prospective, longitudinal survey. Objectives: The study aims to establish reference ranges of blood parameters using routine clinical blood tests and high-information-content methods, including proteomics, metabolomics and the so-called infrared molecular fingerprinting. The study also aims to identify novel biomarkers of major non-communicable diseases, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease.

This prospective, multicenter, single-arm study plans to enroll 69 subjects. Subjects meeting the protocol criteria will receive treatment with coronary extension catheters. The safety and efficacy of these catheters in percutaneous coronary intervention will be assessed through the collection and analysis of efficacy and safety endpoints during treatment and follow-up.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a major global health concern and is the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality worldwide. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a comprehensive, evidence-based intervention that integrates exercise training with optimal medical management and has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in patients with CAD. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effects of cardiac rehabilitation on ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, in patients with coronary artery disease. A total of 90 participants will be enrolled in the study after providing written informed consent. The study population will consist of three groups: 30 patients with CAD who participate in a cardiac rehabilitation program, 30 patients with CAD who voluntarily decline participation in cardiac rehabilitation, and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers without any known chronic disease. Peripheral venous blood samples will be collected from patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation both before the initiation of the rehabilitation program and upon its completion. A single blood sample will be obtained from patients who decline participation in cardiac rehabilitation and from healthy control participants. To evaluate ferroptosis-related molecular alterations, the expression levels of the ferroptosis-associated genes GPX4, SLC7A11, ACSL4, FSP1, NRF2, TFRC, and NCOA4 will be analyzed. In addition, serum concentrations of ferroptosis-related biomarkers, including free iron, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), malondialdehyde (MDA), and GPX4 protein, will be measured. The molecular and biochemical parameters will be compared among the three study groups, and changes in ferroptosis-related biomarkers before and after the cardiac rehabilitation program will be evaluated in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.

EA-230 is a new therapy that may help people recover faster and have fewer problems after bypass surgery. In an earlier clinical trial, participants who received EA-230 during Coronary Artery Bypass surgery stayed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the hospital for a shorter time and had fewer serious complications, compared to those who received a placebo (an inactive therapy). The use of EA-230 was safe and well tolerated. This trial will test EA-230 in more participants to see if it really works and is safe to use in the future. This is a Phase III trial. It will take place in multiple locations and will follow a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical design, meaning neither doctors nor participants will know whether they receive EA-230 or placebo during the trial. Assignment to EA-230 or placebo occurs by chance, like throwing dice. The total duration of the trial, including medical check-ups, will be approximately 71 days. There is a total of 10 visits, including a screening-, a pre-operative-, and 2 remote visits. 7 of these visits are during your stay at the hospital.

The main objective of this randomized, multicenter, international, open-label clinical trial is to demonstrate that, in the context of percutaneous coronary intervention for complex coronary artery disease, a SeQuent® SCB interventional strategy is non-inferior to a new-generation DES strategy in terms of a 12- and 36-month composite of Target Vessel Failure (TVF), that includes: * cardiovascular death (CV death), * target vessel related MI (TV-MI), * clinically indicated target vessel revascularization (ci-TVR), * bleeding according to Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) Types 3-5. Eligible subjects will be assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive treatment of all lesions with either the SeQuent® SCB-based strategy or a DES-based strategy. The randomization will be performed prior to the index procedure once signed informed consent has been obtained and all eligibility criteria have been confirmed. All Subjects will be followed for clinical outcomes at 3 months, 1, 2, and 3 years. A subset of 138 randomized patients will undergo control angiography after one-year clinical follow-up (+1 month). An independent core laboratory will analyze all baseline angiograms. If, at 36 months, the non-inferiority of the SeQuent® SCB strategy compared to the DES strategy is achieved, superiority in terms of TVF and BARC Type 3-5 bleeding will be tested. An optional extension of follow-up to 6 years may be implemented based on interim results and the joint decision of the Steering Committee and the Sponsor. Details regarding this optional extension are provided in the Clinical Investigation Plan.

This is a prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing two strategies for optimizing stent implantation during bifurcation stenting of the left main coronary artery (LM): an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided approach versus a "IVUS-trained eye" approach based on angiographic assessment and operator experience. All patients receive the same stent brand and procedure steps to minimize variability. The primary objective is to compare the planimetric stent appearance between two strategies.

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. The left coronary artery system is critically important due to its supply of a large area of myocardium. Ostia lesions of left anterior descending artery \[LAD\] and circumflex artery \[CX\]) present technical challenges during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and are considered high-risk lesions due to their anatomical location, relationship with the left main coronary artery bifurcation. Two main approaches exist for treating these lesions: accurate ostial stenting and crossover stenting extending from the left main coronary artery to the relevant branch. Accurate ostial stenting aims to avoid unnecessary stenting of the left main coronary artery, while crossover stenting is more advantageous in terms of ensuring complete coverage of the ostial region. However, the crossover approach may have disadvantages such as larger stent implantation and potential side branch involvement. The current literature does not clearly define the clinical superiority of these two strategies. While various studies have shown no significant difference in mortality, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization, the results are heterogeneous, and a definitive consensus has not been reached. The majority of current data are based on retrospective or observational studies. Therefore, well-designed prospective studies comparing crossover stenting and accurate ostial stenting strategies in the ostial left-sided coronary artery (LAD and CX) lesions are needed. This planned study aims to contribute to this gap in the literature by comparing the clinical outcomes of the two approaches.

Based on a multi-center randomized controlled study, this research aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of interventional therapy supported by the CorVad percutaneous left ventricular assist system (Micro-axial Flow Pump） for patients with complex coronary heart disease (CHD) complicated by ischemic left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Through a prospective, multi-center, open-label 1:1 randomized controlled trial, a total of 452 patients with severe ischemic systolic dysfunction and complex coronary lesions were enrolled. The study compared the 12-month incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events (MACCE) between patients who received interventional therapy supported by the CorVad percutaneous left ventricular assist system in addition to the most appropriate medical therapy and those who only received the most appropriate medical therapy. This was done to test whether the interventional therapy supported by the CorVad percutaneous left ventricular assist system can improve the prognosis of patients with severe ischemic systolic dysfunction and complex coronary lesions.

The overall aim of eCardiacRehab trial is to meet rehabilitation needs of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) regardless of their access to traditional place-based rehabilitation by developing and evaluating the efficacy and cost effectiveness of an interdisciplinary and comprehensive home-based hybrid programme. eCardiacRehab address patient- and system level challenges to increase access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR). We give particular attention to older patients, women, and those with comorbidities or mental health challenges. The vision of the hybrid home-based eCardiacRehab programme is to make CR available to all. eCardiacRehab is a prospective, multicentre randomized open-label blinded end point evaluation (PROBE) trial. The primary endpoint is a hierarchical composite endpoint using a win-ratio framework combining cardiovascular (CV) death, unplanned contacts to the Emergency Department (ED) for observation or admission (\>24 hours) for CV disease, and quality of life. Inclusion criteria are adult Scandinavian speaking patients (≥ 18 years) who have a Norwegian national identification number, with CAD treated with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), are living at home, and have internet available to them and providing signed informed consent. Exclusion criteria are patients with severe aortic stenosis, severe arrhythmias, expected lifetime less than one year as determined by study personnel, otherwise clinically unstable, not fully revascularized, awaits PCI or coronary artery bypass graft operation (CABG) or inability to comply with the study protocol due to any physical disability, somatic disease, cognitive impairment or mental health challenges as determined by study personnel.

This single-center, randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a mobile internet-based, home-based cardiac rehabilitation program in patients with mild to moderate coronary artery stenosis. A total of 176 eligible participants will be randomized to receive either a personalized lifestyle intervention via a mobile platform or routine clinical care. The primary endpoint is the change in non-calcified coronary plaque volume, as measured by coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) at 12 months. Participants will be followed for a total of 36 months to comprehensively assess the long-term impact of this digital lifestyle intervention on plaque progression and cardiovascular outcomes.

After deciding to join this study and signing the informed consent form, participants will undergo the following interventions: All participants will receive a preoperative assessment (Tp) before surgery. Within five days after transferring from the ICU to the general ward, participants will receive a baseline assessment (T0). After completing seven sessions of myofascial release (MFR), a post-intervention assessment (T1) will be conducted. Assessments include maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), pulmonary function tests, mid- and lower-thoracic mobility, surface electromyography (sEMG) to measure diaphragmatic and sternocleidomastoid muscle activity, and pain scores. Pulmonary function tests include forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV). Participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy in addition to routine physical therapy in the general ward. Routine therapy includes daily physical therapy sessions such as out-of-bed activities, incentive spirometry training (Triflow), and functional exercises. The MFR intervention consists of three steps: The therapist places both hands on the thoracic outlet, with the index and middle fingers above the clavicle. One hand is placed on the anterior chest and the other hand parallel on the participant's back. Both hands are placed on the anterolateral region of the thoracoabdominal diaphragm. During each step, participants are instructed to take 10 slow, deep breaths and direct airflow toward the therapist's hands. Each session lasts approximately 15 minutes, once daily, for seven sessions. The control group will receive only routine physical therapy (out-of-bed activities, incentive spirometry, and functional exercises) without additional myofascial release therapy.

The aim of this project is to evaluate the effect of bioactive compound sources, propolis and royal jelly, on metabolomics, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk markers in participants with coronary artery disease. A longitudinal double-blind randomized clinical trial will be carried out, involving CAD participants for two months.

The study aims to evaluate the effect of ginger supplementation on inflammatory cytokines and markers of oxidative stress in patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). A longitudinal double-blind randomized clinical trial will be carried out, involving CAD participants for two months.

Bern Intracoronary Optical Coherence Tomography and Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Registry (BIOCORE) is a systematic institutional registry on patients undergoing paired CCTA and OCT for validation and development of advanced methods to determine coronary plaque morphology, lesion severity, PCI guidance, and it association with long-term clinical outcomes.

This randomized multicenter trial compares coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 358 patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction and multivessel coronary disease. The study evaluates differences in survival, major cardiovascular events, and quality of life over 4 years, and contributes to the international STICH 3.0 collaboration assessing long-term outcomes.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a markedly increased cardiovascular risk, with coronary artery disease being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Conventional cardiovascular risk scores and non-invasive diagnostic tests have limited accuracy in this population, partly due to atypical symptoms and frequent structural heart disease. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) is a key marker of coronary microvascular dysfunction and has strong prognostic value, but its assessment is usually limited to invasive techniques. Recent advances in cadmium-zinc-telluride single-photon emission computed tomography (CZT-SPECT) allow non-invasive measurement of CFR. The EVACKD study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of CFR assessed by CZT-SPECT in patients with CKD for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events over a 2-year follow-up.