Heart disease covers a range of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and valve problems. It remains the leading cause of death in the United States, but treatment has advanced substantially over the past two decades. Many people now live decades after a heart attack or heart failure diagnosis with the right combination of medications, procedures, and lifestyle changes.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists for heart failure, gene therapies for inherited heart conditions, new blood thinners with fewer bleeding risks, devices that improve heart function without surgery, and drugs that target inflammation after heart attacks. Researchers are also studying regenerative approaches that might repair damaged heart muscle.
SGLT2 inhibitors for heart failure
Originally diabetes drugs, SGLT2 inhibitors like dapagliflozin and empagliflozin reduce hospitalization and death in heart failure patients, even those without diabetes. They're now standard treatment and trials continue testing them in earlier stages of disease.
Gene therapy for inherited conditions
Trials are testing one-time gene therapies for familial hypercholesterolemia and inherited cardiomyopathies. Early results suggest these treatments can dramatically lower cholesterol or improve heart function in people with specific genetic mutations.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
After years of failed attempts, drugs targeting inflammation now show promise in preventing recurrent heart attacks. Colchicine, an old gout medication, reduces cardiovascular events in people with recent heart attacks or stable coronary disease.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on the specific heart condition, severity of symptoms, ejection fraction in heart failure, prior treatments or procedures, and presence of other conditions like diabetes or kidney disease.
What types of trials are currently open
- Drug trials — Testing new medications for heart failure, high cholesterol, blood clots, or irregular heartbeats. Many compare new drugs to established treatments like statins or beta blockers.
- Device trials — Testing pacemakers, defibrillators, heart pumps, or devices that reshape the heart. Some trials compare devices to medication or surgery.
- Prevention trials — Testing whether drugs, lifestyle programs, or dietary changes can prevent heart attacks in people at risk. Many focus on people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or prior heart events.
- Gene therapy trials — Testing one-time treatments for inherited heart conditions caused by specific genetic mutations.
- Registry studies — Following large groups of people with heart disease to understand treatment patterns, outcomes, and which patients benefit most from different approaches.
Recently added Heart Diseases trials
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.
"Expert IVUS-Eye" vs. IVUS-guided Left Main Bifurcation PCI
This is a prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing two strategies for optimizing stent implantation during bifurcation stenting of the left main coronary artery (LM): an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided approach versus a "IVUS-trained eye" approach based on angiographic assessment and operator experience. All patients receive the same stent brand and procedure steps to minimize variability. The primary objective is to compare the planimetric stent appearance between two strategies.
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