Coronary artery disease affects more than 18 million Americans. Plaque buildup narrows the arteries that feed the heart, limiting blood flow and raising the risk of heart attack. Treatment typically combines lifestyle changes, medications to control cholesterol and blood pressure, and procedures like stents or bypass surgery when needed.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing PCSK9 inhibitors and newer cholesterol-lowering drugs, anti-inflammatory medications like colchicine and canakinumab, gene therapies for familial hypercholesterolemia, and devices that improve blood flow. Researchers are also studying how inflammation drives plaque rupture and whether targeting it can prevent heart attacks.
PCSK9 inhibitors
Drugs like evolocumab and alirocumab lower LDL cholesterol far below what statins can achieve. Studies show they reduce heart attacks and deaths in people with very high cholesterol or established heart disease.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
Low-dose colchicine, already used for gout, reduces heart attacks in people with coronary disease. Trials are testing whether targeting inflammation works as well as lowering cholesterol.
Gene therapies
RNA-silencing drugs that turn off PCSK9 production in the liver can lower cholesterol with one or two injections per year. Early trials show sustained reductions lasting months.
What to know before you search
Eligibility often depends on cholesterol levels, history of heart attack or stent, statin tolerance, and cardiovascular risk scores.
What types of trials are currently open
- Cholesterol trials — Testing new drugs that lower LDL cholesterol, often in people who can't tolerate statins or need lower levels than current drugs provide.
- Anti-inflammatory trials — Testing whether drugs that reduce inflammation can prevent heart attacks, independent of cholesterol lowering.
- Gene therapy trials — Testing one-time or infrequent treatments that durably lower cholesterol by silencing genes in the liver.
- Device trials — Testing stents, bypass techniques, and devices that improve blood flow or reduce plaque buildup.
- Prevention trials — Following people at high risk to see whether new treatments prevent the first heart attack or slow artery narrowing.
Recently added Coronary Artery Disease trials
Take a new stroke treatment alongside standard care for 12 weeks
This is a randomized, controlled, open-label study of MLC901 (NeuroAiD™ II) in patients with mild to moderate ischemic stroke. Eligible participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive MLC901 in combination with standard treatment or standard treatment alone for 12 weeks.
Wear a sensor patch to monitor your heart and oxygen levels
This is a prospective, single-center, observational pilot study of the investigational NIRSense Tissue Oximetry Sensor System (Envello Core), a noninvasive wearable sensor patch that uses near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and photoplethysmography (PPG), combined with an electrocardiography/impedance cardiography (ECG/ICG) sensor, to continuously monitor tissue oxygen saturation (StO2), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), pulse rate, respiratory rate, stroke volume, and related metrics. Up to 20 adults admitted to the Cleveland Clinic Florida cardiac intensive care unit with acute myocardial infarction or acute decompensated heart failure and in Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) shock stage B, C, or D will wear the sensors on the sternum, forearm, and other locations for approximately 24 to 72 hours during standard care. Sensor data will be compared with standard-of-care hemodynamic and laboratory measurements and with the patient's clinical course to evaluate the feasibility of the device, the correlation of its measurements with established clinical parameters, and its potential to detect deterioration in SCAI shock stage earlier. No treatment decisions are made based on the study device.
Find Coronary Artery Disease trials matched specifically to you
Answer 3 quick questions and we'll show you trials that fit your situation.