Heart attack — myocardial infarction — happens when a coronary artery is suddenly blocked, killing heart muscle. Despite big gains in survival through stents and rapid treatment, many people are left with heart failure or arrhythmias. Research now aims to repair damaged muscle, prevent recurrent events, and improve recovery after a heart attack.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that reduce inflammation after a heart attack, stem cell therapies that may rebuild muscle, new antiplatelet drugs to prevent future blockages, and medications to prevent heart failure from developing. Researchers are also studying how to predict who is at highest risk of a second event and how to tailor blood-thinning regimens to individual risk.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
The drug colchicine, long used for gout, reduces the risk of second heart attacks by calming inflammation in the arteries. Other inflammation-targeting drugs are being tested to see if they can protect heart muscle during and after an attack.
Cardiac regeneration
Stem cell and gene therapies aim to grow new heart muscle or trigger the heart's own repair mechanisms. Early trials are testing whether these approaches can restore function in damaged hearts.
Personalized blood thinners
Genetic testing may help tailor antiplatelet therapy to individual metabolism, reducing bleeding risk in some patients and improving protection in others. Trials are testing whether this personalized approach beats standard dosing.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on timing since the heart attack, severity of damage, presence of heart failure or other complications, and current medications.
What types of trials are currently open
- Regenerative therapy trials — Testing stem cells, gene therapy, or growth factors to repair heart muscle damaged by a heart attack.
- Anti-inflammatory trials — Studies of drugs like colchicine or biologic agents that reduce inflammation and may prevent recurrent events or heart failure.
- Antiplatelet trials — Testing new blood-thinning strategies or personalized dosing to prevent future heart attacks while minimizing bleeding risk.
- Heart failure prevention trials — Testing drugs like SGLT2 inhibitors or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists to prevent heart failure after a heart attack.
- Rehabilitation studies — Testing exercise programs, psychological support, or devices to improve recovery and quality of life after a heart attack.
Recently added Myocardial Infarction trials
BEAT-SHOCK Registry
This regulation defines the purpose, the operational processes, and the organization of the registry BEAT-SHOCK (Basel Evaluation of Acute Therapy in cardiogenic SHOCK). It describes the requirements for collecting, storing, processing, managing and sharing health-related registry data.
Take a new blood-clotting medication being compared to a standard drug
CG-0255 is a novel investigational prodrug of the active metabolite of Plavix®， but with different active metabolite conversion routes. This is a randomized, open-label and Plavix®-controlled study to compare the PK and PD of CG-0255 Besylate and Plavix® in healthy participants.
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