Clinical Trials and Studies

Are you a woman with coronary microvascular dysfunction? In this clinical trial, researchers are studying coronary microvascular dysfunction, which occurs when there are problems in the small blood vessels in the heart. It frequently causes chest pain and is more common in women. The researchers want to learn how daily life and mental stress affect the heart. You may be able to participate if you are at least 45 years old, have gone through menopause, and are willing to undergo tests to measure your stress level. The study is taking place at locations in Atlanta, Georgia.

Are you an adult who gets little exercise and sits a lot every day? If you sit for more than 8 hours a day and exercise less than 90 minutes per week, this study may interest you. Researchers want to see if walking or standing breaks during long sitting periods can make your heart healthier. To take part in this study, you must be 36 to 55 years old. You also should be able to walk four blocks and go up two flights of stairs. The study is taking place in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Is your family from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, or Sri Lanka? If so, you may be able to participate in a clinical study looking at cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke among people of South Asian descent. Participants must be between 40 and 84 years old and have no history of heart attack or stroke, heart failure, angina, or atrial fibrillation. This study is taking place in San Francisco, California, Chicago, Illinois, and New York City, New York.

Do you have heart disease? This study is looking to improve the quality of heart CT scans by using new methods to create the images. You may be able to participate in the study if you are 18 years old or older, have heart disease, and have been told by your doctor that you need a CT scan. This study is taking place at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Have you lived in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, or Mississippi for at least two years and are you interested in participating in a clinical study where researchers are trying to better understand health and disease in rural areas? The study team will track your physical activity using a provided Fitbit device and will also ask questions about your health and lifestyle through a cell phone app. You will also receive a kit to measure environmental and health factors in your homes. Participants must live in one of these counties: Dallas County, Alabama; Wilcox County, Alabama; Boyle County, Kentucky; Perry County, Kentucky; Garrard County, Kentucky; Breathitt County, Kentucky; Assumption Parish, Louisiana; Franklin Parish, Louisiana; Oktibbeha County, Mississippi; and Panola County, Mississippi.

Are you approaching menopause? Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and deaths from heart disease among women 35 to 54 years old are increasing. Researchers are studying changes in health caused by menopause to learn whether estradiol, a medication commonly given to women during menopause, can help improve health. You may be able to participate if you are a woman between 40 and 58 years old. The study is taking place in Newark, Delaware.

Women who experience hot flashes are at greater risk for hypertension and other cardiovascular disease. In this clinical trial, researchers are studying the link between hot flashes and cardiovascular disease in women. Participants must be between 40 and 60 years old and must not have cardiovascular disease. The study is taking place in Rochester, Minnesota.

Are you 75 years old or older and interested in participating in a clinical trial where researchers are studying whether statins, which are often used to treat high cholesterol, can help improve heart and brain health. To participate, you cannot have cardiovascular disease or dementia. The study is taking place at locations in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico.

Have you had a heart attack caused by spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)? Most patients with SCAD do not have traditional risk factors such as tobacco use, high cholesterol, diabetes, but rather, they the heart attack is caused by other problems with the heart. In this clinical trial, researchers are studying people who have had SCAD to understand what may cause this to happen. The study is taking place in Rochester, Minnesota.

Are you interested in participating in clinical research about ultrasounds? Ultrasounds are one of the most common ways to take images of the inside of your body. In some cases, something called a contrast agent is injected through an IV to make your organs even more visible during the ultrasound. Researchers in this clinical trial are comparing a new type of contrast agent to the current type used in ultrasounds. Participants must be 19 years old and considered to be generally healthy. The study is taking place in Kansas City, Missouri, and Omaha, Nebraska.