A heart attack happens when a blocked artery cuts off blood to part of the heart muscle, causing tissue damage. About 805,000 Americans have a heart attack each year. Treatment focuses on opening the blocked artery quickly, then preventing future events with medications and lifestyle changes.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that limit heart damage during and after a heart attack, new antiplatelet agents that prevent clots without increasing bleeding risk, and therapies to help damaged heart muscle regenerate. Researchers are also studying ways to predict who's at highest risk and intervene earlier, including trials of PCSK9 inhibitors and anti-inflammatory drugs like colchicine.
Cardioprotective drugs
Several trials are testing drugs given during or immediately after a heart attack to reduce the amount of muscle that dies. These include repurposed diabetes medications and drugs that target inflammation.
Regenerative medicine
Studies are exploring whether stem cells, growth factors, or gene therapies can help heart muscle repair itself after damage. Early trials have shown some promise in improving heart function.
Personalized prevention
Trials are testing genetic testing and biomarkers to identify people at very high risk before a first heart attack. The goal is to use intensive prevention strategies only for those who need them most.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on how recent the heart attack was, extent of heart damage, other cardiovascular conditions, and current medications like blood thinners.
What types of trials are currently open
- Acute treatment trials — Testing new drugs or procedures given during a heart attack to restore blood flow faster or protect heart muscle from damage.
- Prevention trials — Testing medications or lifestyle interventions to prevent a second heart attack in people who've already had one.
- Recovery trials — Studies of cardiac rehabilitation programs, exercise regimens, and therapies to improve heart function after a heart attack.
- Regenerative trials — Testing stem cells, gene therapy, or other approaches that might help damaged heart tissue heal or regenerate.
- Device trials — Testing new stents, imaging technologies, or heart pumps that support recovery after severe heart attacks.
Recently added Myocardial Infarction 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.
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