Vascular Diseases Clinical Trials

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death in America and most of the post-industrial world. Hypertension is a leading risk factor for CVDs including stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Black Americans suffer from the highest rates of hypertension of any racial/ethnic group in America, among the highest in the world. There are also well-documented racial disparities in vascular dysfunction (e.g., endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffening). Thus, racial disparities in hypertension and vascular dysfunction exacerbate the burden of CVDs, with Black Americans being 30% more likely to die from CVD than any other race in the US. It is established that mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to vascular dysfunction. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding whether targeting mitochondrial dysfunction attenuates oxidative stress, vascular dysfunction, and CVD risk among Black adults at heightened CVD risk. Thus, the investigators will conduct an 8-week trial with the mitochondrial antioxidant MitoQ in middle-aged and older Black and non-Black adults. Our overarching hypothesis is that mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to heightened oxidative stress, vascular dysfunction, and higher BP in Black adults; and that MitoQ will attenuate these racial differences. Importantly, the investigators will also assess social determinants of health (e.g., income, neighborhood disadvantage, discrimination) and health behaviors (e.g., diet, physical activity) and uncover their role in oxidative stress, vascular function, and BP Regarding methodology, the investigators will perform blood draws, vascular testing, preceding and following an 8-week, 20mg daily consumption of MitoQ and placebo. The investigators will also measure urine biomarkers of kidney function and blood pressure in adults (45-75 years old). Read Less

Groin incisions in vascular surgery have complications in up to 30% of cases at 30 days, resulting in reductions in patient quality of life and increased costs. Prior attempts at reducing this complication rate have been largely unsuccessful. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of routine Vialize use for vascular surgeries involving a groin incision and to determine the rates of surgical site infection/dehiscence in such patients receiving subcutaneous Vialize. Read Less

The investigators will collect omental tissue (research surgical excision) and placental tissue (standard of care clinical delivery) from both preeclamptic and non-preeclamptic women during their c-section and use these samples to study the blood vessels, specifically the expression/activation of the AT2R. Read Less

Habitual short sleep duration (< 7 hours/night) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. Yet most adults, especially emerging adults (i.e., 18-25 years) do not achieve the National Sleep Foundation recommendation of 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Additionally, the American Heart Association recently included sleep duration in the "Life's Essential 8". This recent development emphasizes the importance of sleep and the need to advance our understanding of how sleep impacts cardiometabolic health (CMH), particularly in emerging adults, a population whose CVD risk trajectory is malleable. Specifically, emerging adulthood is a critical age window when age-related loss of CMH accelerates. Based on my previous work and others, both self-reported and objective measures of poor sleep (e.g., duration, variability) are linked to early signs of elevated CVD risk in emerging adults, such as microvascular dysfunction and elevated central blood pressure (BP), which precede the development of hypertension. Read Less

Identify factors that contribute to perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery that involves cardiopulmonary bypass. Identify factors that affect perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Read Less

This study is being conducted to provide access to and collect test data for an established nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging test called Positron Emission Tomography (PET), using a specific radioactive drug called Ammonia N-13 (Ammonia), referred to simply as an Ammonia PET scan, which is used to visualize the blood flow through the blood vessels and into the heart muscle in order to identify areas of restricted blood flow within the heart. The scanner used in this study may be a stand-alone PET scanner or a PET/CT scanner, which combines the PET scanner and a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner into a single device. Unless otherwise stated in this consent form, the term PET will be used to refer to both stand-alone PET and PET/CT scanners. While physicians have used the Ammonia PET test for many years to visualize (image) the blood flow into the heart muscle (perfusion), it is now possible to also measure the flow of blood into the heart muscle. Research studies have demonstrated clinical value in reviewing the measured blood flow values in addition to reviewing the perfusion images of blood flow into the heart muscle. Therefore, this study will establish a database of a large number of Ammonia PET measured blood flow values to serve as a future reference. Read Less

The goal of this mechanistic clinical trial is to learn about the effects of medications called soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulators on vascular function and markers of kidney and brain injury in patients having heart surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulation improve blood vessel function compared to placebo? Does soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulation decrease markers of kidney injury and brain injury compared to placebo? Participants will be randomized to a soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulator called vericiguat or placebo, and researchers will compare vascular function and markers of brain and kidney injury to see if vericiguat improves vascular function and reduces markers of injury. This will provide important information to determine the underlying reasons that patients have some kidney and brain function problems after having heart surgery. Read Less

This is a single site, single-blinded parallel randomized control trial that investigates a multi-level intervention to improve postpartum blood pressure in women with hypertensive disorder pregnancy. The investigators will recruit women diagnosed with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, identified between 3rd trimester and 2 weeks post-delivery. The investigators will randomize participants to receive usual care home blood pressure monitoring for 6 weeks versus an intervention of usual care + blood pressure and weight monitoring + a doula trained in heart health. This trial will be conducted in partnership with a local community-based organization, Healthy Start Inc. Read Less

Stroke survivors have compromised vascular function which may contribute to secondary stroke risk, cardiovascular disease, and may limit their exercise tolerance. No studies have examined how femoral blood flow responds to both passive leg movement, a measure of microvascular function, as well as active leg contractions, a measure of the hyperemic response to exercise. Leg muscles with a reduced blood flow response to movement could be associated with decreased neuromuscular function, such as leg strength and fatigue. Preliminary data showing a single bout of ischemic conditioning may improve vascular function and muscle activation in healthy adults and individuals post-stroke. Therefore, the investigators want to examine if ischemic conditioning will also improve the blood flow response to passive leg movements as well as during single leg active contractions. Read Less

Lower serum bicarbonate levels, even within the normal laboratory range, in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are associated with an increased risk of graft loss, cardiovascular events and mortality. Because acid retention is common in KTRs, it is plausible that alkali therapy in KTRs may also result in improved vascular and graft function. The investigators will perform a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 12 month study in 120 KTRs to examine the effect of sodium bicarbonate therapy on surrogate markers of CVD and graft function. The overall hypothesis is that treatment with bicarbonate will improve indicators of vascular and graft function in KTRs by decreasing complement activation. Read Less

The objective of this study is to assess the effect Spinal Cord Stimulators have toward improving vascular changes of diabetes mellitus in patients eligible for SCS placement based on their condition of painful diabetic neuropathy; we will evaluate improving their disability and quality of life, improving micro-circulatory changes induced by Diabetes Mellitus (DM), improving macro-circulatory changes induced by DM and improving arterial stiffness of the vessels of the lower extremity. Read Less

After the participant meets all inclusion and exclusion criteria, they will be randomized equally to either the Resistance Training group (RT) or Aerobic Training group (AT). Both groups will participate in an 8 week initial control period, followed by 8 weeks of supervised exercise training, followed by 8 weeks of deconditioning. All participants will undergo the same assessments and procedures one time prior to the initial 8 week control period, and at each of the three periods. Assessments include: blood draws; arterial stiffness testing; ultrasounds of the brachial artery to measure flow-mediated dilation (FMD); gluteal adipose tissue biopsies; exercise testing to determine VO2 max; body composition analysis via DEXA scans; ambulatory blood pressure measurement; diet analysis via food journals; medical history questionnaires; urine analysis for pregnancy; and activity monitoring via accelerometer. Total participation will be 24-26 weeks. Read Less