Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, encompassing conditions like coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and stroke. Treatment has advanced dramatically with stents, blood thinners, statins, and medications that reduce heart strain. Research now focuses on precision approaches, regenerative therapies, and addressing inflammation's role in heart disease.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran for cholesterol control, SGLT2 inhibitors originally developed for diabetes that protect the heart, anti-inflammatory drugs targeting IL-6 and other pathways, gene therapies for inherited heart conditions, and cell-based therapies aiming to repair damaged heart muscle. Researchers are also studying how to prevent heart failure before it starts and how to personalize treatment based on genetic risk.
SGLT2 inhibitors for heart failure
These diabetes drugs have proven surprisingly effective at preventing hospitalization in people with heart failure, regardless of diabetes status. Dapagliflozin and empagliflozin are now FDA-approved for heart failure, and trials continue exploring their use across different heart conditions.
Anti-inflammatory approaches
Drugs targeting inflammation, like colchicine and IL-6 inhibitors, are being tested to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Evidence suggests chronic inflammation drives plaque buildup and rupture, not just cholesterol alone.
Gene silencing for cholesterol
Inclisiran uses RNA interference to shut down PCSK9 production in the liver, lowering LDL cholesterol with twice-yearly injections. It offers an alternative for people who struggle with daily statin pills or need additional cholesterol reduction.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on cholesterol levels, prior heart events, heart function measurements like ejection fraction, and whether standard treatments have been tried.
What types of trials are currently open
- Prevention trials — Testing whether new cholesterol drugs, anti-inflammatory medications, or blood pressure treatments prevent heart attacks and strokes in high-risk people.
- Heart failure trials — Studies of medications, devices, or therapies to reduce hospitalizations and improve quality of life in people with weakened hearts.
- Arrhythmia trials — Testing drugs or procedures to control irregular heartbeats like atrial fibrillation, often comparing catheter ablation to medication.
- Device trials — Studies of implantable devices, wearable monitors, or remote management systems to detect problems early or support heart function.
- Regenerative medicine trials — Testing stem cells, gene therapy, or other approaches to repair heart muscle damaged by heart attacks.
Recently added Cardiovascular Disease trials
Walking and Thinking - Brain Activity During Complex Walking in Stroke
Everyday life requires individuals to function in complex environments and perform tasks that involve the integration of motor and cognitive abilities. However, stroke often leads to impairments in motor-cognitive interaction, which can negatively affect mobility, balance, attention, and the ability to live independently. Although motor-cognitive performance has been identified as an important rehabilitation target after stroke, limited knowledge exists regarding the underlying brain function associated with these difficulties and how rehabilitation and exercise interventions can best address them. Improving treatment for motor-cognitive difficulties after stroke, such as dual-task walking and navigation, remains a major challenge. An important step is developing assessment methods that accurately capture these impairments in ecologically valid settings that reflect real-world mobility demands. The investigators therefore aim to explore brain function during complex walking after stroke by investigating motor-cognitive performance and its neural correlates during three walking conditions: dual-task walking, navigation, and a combination of both. Non-invasive measures of brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) together with advanced real-time gait analysis will be used to better understand how stroke affects motor-cognitive functioning during complex walking tasks.
Comparison Of Different Mechanical Thrombectomy Devices in Endovascular Treatment of Acute Iliofemoral Venous Thrombosis
A head-to-head comparison of two different types of percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) - ClotTriever System versus aspiration thrombectomy (including rheolytic thrombectomy) - in patients with acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was conducted to determine whether ClotTriever System can improve thrombus clearance rate, reduce the incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), and enhance the long-term efficacy of endovascular treatment for acute iliofemoral DVT.
Find Cardiovascular Disease trials matched specifically to you
Answer 3 quick questions and we'll show you trials that fit your situation.