Receive heart artery treatment during your valve replacement surgery care

Recruiting

What is this trial?

Many patients who need a new aortic valve also have blocked coronary arteries—the vessels that deliver blood to the heart muscle itself. This study is testing whether patients should routinely have these arteries opened with a catheter procedure (called angioplasty, which places a stent to keep the artery open), or whether taking heart medications alone is safer and just as effective. The researchers want to know which approach prevents more heart attacks, heart-related deaths, and other serious heart problems over five years.

Doctors disagree about the best way to handle blocked arteries in patients getting a new valve. Some hospitals open the blocked arteries routinely; others treat them only with medication. This trial exists to give doctors clear, evidence-based answers so they can make the safest choice for every patient.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with a severely narrowed aortic valve (your heart's main valve) causing symptoms like shortness of breath or chest discomfort
you have at least one blocked coronary artery that is suitable for a catheter-based opening procedure
your heart team has decided you are a good candidate for a new valve placed via catheter (without open-heart surgery)
you have successfully had your new valve placed within the past 96 hours
you are able and willing to return for follow-up visits for at least five years

You likely don't qualify if…

you had a catheter procedure to open arteries within 90 days before your valve surgery or at the same time as your valve surgery
you have very weak heart muscle function (ejection fraction below 30%)
you have had a heart attack, stroke, or mini-stroke within the past 90 days
you have severe kidney disease or are on dialysis
you have another serious illness expected to limit your life to less than five years

What participation looks like

After your new valve is successfully placed, you will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will receive a catheter procedure to open any blocked arteries (which may happen within the first month after your valve surgery), while the other group will manage their blocked arteries with medication alone. Both groups will receive the same heart medications. You will have follow-up visits and testing over five years to track your heart health and watch for any heart-related events or complications.

Opening blocked heart arteries before or after new valve surgery

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(72 sites)