Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, but death rates have dropped sharply over the past 30 years thanks to statins, blood pressure medications, and improved heart attack care. Current research is pushing beyond cholesterol to address inflammation, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and the residual risk that remains even when cholesterol is controlled.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists originally developed for diabetes, PCSK9 inhibitors that lower LDL cholesterol to unprecedented levels, anti-inflammatory drugs that target heart attack risk directly, and RNA-based therapies that silence genes involved in cholesterol production. Gene therapy trials are exploring ways to restore heart muscle after a heart attack.
Anti-inflammatory approaches
Trials are testing whether drugs like colchicine and canakinumab can prevent heart attacks by reducing inflammation in artery walls. This marks a shift from treating cholesterol alone to addressing inflammation as an independent risk factor.
Heart failure therapies
SGLT2 inhibitors like dapagliflozin and empagliflozin have shown benefits in heart failure patients, even those without diabetes. Studies are also testing combinations of newer drugs to improve outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, a type that has resisted treatment.
Gene therapy and RNA drugs
Inclisiran, an RNA therapy that silences PCSK9 production, requires dosing only twice a year and keeps LDL cholesterol low. Gene therapy trials are testing whether single treatments can durably lower cholesterol or regenerate heart muscle after injury.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on cardiovascular risk factors, cholesterol levels, prior heart attack or stroke, heart failure symptoms, and current medications.
What types of trials are currently open
- Prevention trials — Testing whether new cholesterol-lowering drugs, blood pressure medications, or anti-inflammatory therapies reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in high-risk people.
- Heart failure trials — Studies of medications that improve symptoms and survival in people with weakened or stiffened heart muscle.
- Post-heart attack trials — Testing treatments given after a heart attack to prevent future events, reduce scarring, or restore heart function.
- Arrhythmia trials — Studies of medications or procedures for irregular heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation, often comparing new drugs to ablation or existing treatments.
- Lipid-lowering trials — Testing PCSK9 inhibitors, RNA therapies, and other drugs that lower LDL cholesterol or triglycerides beyond what statins achieve.
Recently added Cardiovascular Diseases trials
Complete ultrasound and blood tests to assess muscle health
This prospective observational study aims to evaluate sarcopenia in intensive care patients with intracranial pathologies using ultrasound and to compare the predictive performance of different artificial intelligence models. Rectus femoris muscle thickness will be measured by ultrasound on ICU admission (Day 0) and Day 7. Prealbumin levels will be assessed on Days 0, 3, and 7, and the modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score will be calculated on the first day of ICU admission. Clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic data will be integrated into different artificial intelligence models to predict sarcopenia status on Day 7. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in the early identification of sarcopenia and to support future clinical decision-making in intensive care practice.
Apixaban Versus Warfarin for Left Ventricular Thrombus
Left ventricular thrombus is a blood clot that forms in the left ventricle and is associated with risk of systemic embolism and ischemic stroke. Warfarin has historically been used for anticoagulation in this condition, but it requires frequent international normalized ratio monitoring and is affected by dietary and drug interactions. Apixaban is a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor with fixed dosing and no routine anticoagulation monitoring requirement, and it is increasingly used in clinical practice for left ventricular thrombus, although definitive randomized evidence remains limited. This randomized, noninferiority trial will compare apixaban with warfarin for treatment of left ventricular thrombus. Eligible adults with recently confirmed left ventricular thrombus will be randomized 1:1 to apixaban or warfarin. The primary endpoint is complete left ventricular thrombus resolution at 3 months assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Participants will be followed through 12 months for thrombus-related, bleeding, cardiovascular, and mortality outcomes.
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