Clinical Research Directory

Multicomponent Exercise Program in Women With Hypertension

This study tested whether a 12-week supervised multicomponent exercise program is associated with changes in blood pressure, estimated cardiorespiratory fitness, handgrip strength and health-related quality of life in women aged 45 to 59 years with hypertension. The program combined strength training, aerobic exercise (brisk walking or light jogging), controlled breathing and flexibility, in three sessions per week of about 60 minutes, mainly in community spaces in Bogotá, Colombia, with a hybrid option for women who could not attend in person. Thirty-two women were assigned, by convenience according to their availability for the class schedule, to an exercise group (n = 16) or to a control group that kept its usual activities (n = 16). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (Rockport 1-mile walk test), handgrip strength (dynamometer) and quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire) were measured before and after the 12 weeks.

A Community Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Program in Older Adults Engaged in Congregate Nutrition Services (CAN-DO)

Investigators plan to test the effect of a Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction program targeted to improve nutrition and self-management of chronic cardiovascular conditions among older adults participating in congregate meal programs offered at community senior centers.

Long-Term Cardiovascular Impact of ArmoLIPID Cholesterol Plus: An In Silico Study Using Digital Twins

The goal of this study, conducted entirely using computer simulations, is to evaluate the projected long-term cardiovascular impact of the new ArmoLIPID Cholesterol Plus formulation in adults with mild-to-moderate hypercholesterolemia and low-to-moderate cardiovascular risk. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Does the addition of ArmoLIPID Cholesterol Plus to lifestyle management reduce the projected incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke? * How does sustained LDL cholesterol reduction influence cumulative cardiovascular risk over 5, 10, 15, and 20 years? * Could the use of ArmoLIPID Cholesterol Plus delay the projected need for statin therapy? Researchers will compare two simulated strategies: lifestyle management alone versus lifestyle management combined with one daily tablet of the new ArmoLIPID Cholesterol Plus formulation. No human participants will be recruited, treated, or followed in this study. Using the Aeterna Deep computational platform, researchers will generate a synthetic population of 100,000 digital twins whose characteristics reflect those of adults with mild-to-moderate hypercholesterolemia. The simulations will incorporate clinical evidence from previous studies and model individual cardiovascular trajectories over a 20-year period. All cardiovascular outcomes will be computational projections rather than events observed in human participants.

A Research Study Looking at Kidney and Heart Health in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease Treated With Semaglutide in China

The purpose of this clinical study is to find out what happens to kidney and heart health during treatment with a medicine called semaglutide, which is given as an injection under the skin. The clinical study will also look at whether this medicine is safe for adults who have type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study will last for about 60 to 172 weeks.

The Effect of Multidisciplinary Care Approach on CV Risk Modification in CaP Patients Receiving ADT

Prostate cancer is characterised by its slow progression nature, and even for metastatic disease, the 5-year survival is up to 30%. While ADT can effectively control disease, there is increasing evidence suggesting that it can also result in many adverse cardiovascular side effects on the patients, and these effects are particularly important due to the prolonged survival of these patients. There are suggestions that close cardiovascular (CV) monitoring will help to reduce cardiovascular risk and related morbidities. However, there is limited data to show the positive impact of these monitoring could reducing CV risk and morbidities. Moreover, information regarding the optimal follow-up approach and schedule is also lacking. Therefore, there is a need to have more information on the approach to monitoring the CV risk and the real-life impact of this monitoring on our patients. Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and plan to receive ADT are invited to participate in this study to assess the potential benefit of multidisciplinary care approach to CV risk modification.

Cardiovascular Risk in Patients With IBD

In this study the Research Hospital San Donato Policlinic ask the participation with the aim to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular complication (i.e. stroke, myocardial infarction) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Multiple parameters (therapy, disease activity, life style) and investigations (DNA, stool, lab tests) will be evaluate with the support of artificial intelligence methodologies to better define the cardiovascular risk.

Feasibility of a Mind-Body Intervention for Optimism

This pilot study tests whether three brief mind-body activities can be delivered remotely to midlife adults, and whether they show early signs of improving cardiovascular health, emotional well-being, and stress. The activities are an emotional well-being writing exercise, two minutes of chair-assisted squats, and five minutes of slow-paced breathing. Insufficiently active adults aged 40 to 65 years are randomly assigned to one of eight groups. The groups cover every combination of the three activities, including one group that receives none. Participants complete their assigned activities in live Zoom sessions with a research assistant on five weekdays per week for four weeks (20 sessions). Blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, a small blood sample, and questionnaires on emotional well-being and stress are collected at in-person visits before and after the four weeks. Participants also rate how they feel immediately before and during each activity.

A Research Study to Look at How Well Zenagamtide Works Compared to Placebo in People With Established Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Either Overweight or Obesity

This clinical study is being conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of zenagamtide in people with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and excess body weight compared with placebo. The purpose of this clinical study is to find out if zenagamtide is safe and effective for treating people who have ASCVD and excess body weight. Participants will be randomly assigned by chance to receive either zenagamtide, the investigational treatment being tested, or a placebo, which contains no active medicine. Half of the participants will receive zenagamtide, and treatment assignment will be determined randomly. Zenagamtide is a new investigational medicine that is not yet available for prescription by doctors.

ZEUS - A Research Study to Look at How Ziltivekimab Works Compared to Placebo in People With Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease and Inflammation

This study is conducted to see if ziltivekimab reduces the risk of having cardiovascular events (for example heart attack and stroke) in people with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and inflammation. Participants will either get ziltivekimab (active medicine) or placebo (a dummy medicine which has no effect on the body). This is known as the study medicine. Which treatment participants get is decided by chance. Participants chance of getting ziltivekimab or placebo is the same. Ziltivekimab is not yet approved in any country or region in the world. It is a new medicine doctors cannot prescribe. Participants will get the study medicine in a pre filled syringe. Participants will need to use the pre filled syringe to inject the study medicine into a skinfold once-monthly. The study is expected to last for up to 4 years. Participants will have up to 20 clinic visits. Participants will have blood and urine samples taken at most of the clinic visits. Participants will have their heart examined using sound waves (echocardiography) and electrodes (electrocardiogram). Women cannot take part if pregnant, breast-feeding or planning to get pregnant during the study period.

LDL Cholesterol Reduction Following Ezetimibe Initiation

This clinical trial will study why some people have a larger drop in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), known as "bad cholesterol," after starting ezetimibe. Ezetimibe is a medicine used to lower cholesterol when current treatment is not enough. Adults aged 18 to 75 years who need additional cholesterol treatment will take ezetimibe, either alone or added to their usual stable medication. Researchers will examine whether diet, salt intake, physical activity, and personal health factors influence how much LDL-C levels fall after treatment. Participants will have blood tests before and after starting ezetimibe, complete diet and activity questionnaires, and provide a 24-hour urine sample. The goal is to help doctors better understand who benefits most from ezetimibe and improve personalized cholesterol treatment.

Artificial Intelligence - Based Opportunistic Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring on Routine Chest-CT Scan

This retrospective, non-interventional study externally validates a pre-trained open-weight deep-learning algorithm (Swin-UNETR) for the opportunistic quantification of coronary artery calcium (CAC) on non-gated routine chest CT scans acquired at a German academic center, and evaluates the prognostic value of this automated imaging biomarker for cardiovascular risk stratification. Coronary calcium is an established predictor of cardiovascular risk, but is not routinely quantified on the tens of thousands of non-cardiac chest CTs performed each year. Because existing high-performing AI models were trained almost exclusively on U.S. cohorts, external validation on a European scanner fleet is required to exclude scanner bias (domain shift). The study comprises three linked analytic cohorts: (1) a validation cohort comparing the AI-CAC score against the ECG-gated cardiac CT Agatston reference; (2) a dialysis cohort assessing calcification progression and mortality; and (3) an emergency department cohort assessing short-term cardiovascular events. This is an investigator-initiated trial with no intervention on patients.

ARTEMIS - A Research Study to Look at How Ziltivekimab Works Compared to Placebo in People With a Heart Attack

The research study is being done to see if ziltivekimab can be used to treat people who were admitted to hospital because of a heart attack. Ziltivekimab might reduce development of heart disease, thereby preventing new heart attacks or strokes. Participants will either get ziltivekimab (active medicine) or placebo (a dummy medicine which has no effect on the body). Which treatment participants get is decided by chance. The chance of getting ziltivekimab or placebo is the same. The participant will need to inject the study medicine into a flat skin surface in there stomach, thigh, or upper arm once every month. Ziltivekimab is not yet approved in any country or region in the world. It is a new medicine that doctors cannot prescribe. The study will last for about 2 years.

AMBITION 7: A Research Study Investigating How Well Zenagamtide Lowers Blood Sugar and Body Weight Compared to Insulin Glargine in People With Type 2 Diabetes and Increased Risk of Diseases That Affect the Heart and Blood Vessels Treated With 1-3 Other Diabetes Medications

This study is being conducted to find out how well zenagamtide works and how safe it is compared to insulin glargine in participants with type 2 diabetes who are at higher risk of heart and blood vessel problems and are already taking 1 to 3 diabetes medications. There are 2 study treatments in this study taken as injections under the skin once a week. Participants will either get zenagamtide, (the treatment being tested) or insulin glargine (a comparator) and which treatment participants get is decided by chance.

Huangqi Gegen Decoction for Endothelial Function in Type 2 Diabetes at Very High ASCVD Risk

This clinical trial evaluates whether Huangqi Gegen Decoction can improve blood vessel function in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are at very high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and meet the traditional Chinese medicine criteria for Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome. A total of 90 participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either Huangqi Gegen Decoction granules or matching placebo granules, in addition to their usual guideline-based treatment, for 12 weeks. Participants and investigators are blinded to treatment assignment. The main outcome is flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a noninvasive measure of how well blood vessels dilate. The study also evaluates blood glucose control, blood markers related to endothelial function and inflammation, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores, and safety. The investigators hypothesize that Huangqi Gegen Decoction, when added to conventional treatment, will improve endothelial function compared with placebo.

Efficacy and Safety of Semaglutide Versus Placebo on Cardiometabolic Profile in Patients With Schizophrenia With Metabolic Syndrome

Patients with schizophrenia on second-generation antipsychotics have a high burden of metabolic syndrome and elevated cardiovascular risk, with few effective treatment options. This multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial evaluates whether adjunctive oral semaglutide 3 mg once daily, added to treatment as usual, reduces 10-year cardiovascular risk (QRISK3) and improves insulin resistance, lipids, weight and metabolic biomarkers over 24 weeks compared with placebo, while confirming psychiatric safety and tolerability.

Precision Study of CLAiR AI Software

This multi-site precision study evaluated the performance and reproducibility of the CLAiR artificial intelligence (AI) software in identifying elevated risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) from retinal fundus images. Participants underwent protocol-defined retinal imaging using Topcon NW400 and NW500 cameras. The study assessed agreement and consistency of device outputs across operators and imaging conditions. No medical management decisions were made based on device results.

Predication of Arterial Stiffness in Healthy Adults by Oral Health and Chewing Assessments

INN.oral.HEALTH is an sub-study embedded in the Innsbruck Health Promotion Program (INN.HEALTH). The study investigates whether oral health, oral structure, and oral function provide additional information for understanding vascular health in adults from the general population. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, remain major causes of death and disability. Many risk factors, including blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar, smoking, physical activity, sleep, and diet, are already known to influence vascular health. However, oral health may also be related to vascular risk. Conditions such as tooth loss, impaired chewing, reduced tongue strength, or oral disease burden may reflect or contribute to general health and vascular ageing, but their additional value in prevention programs is not yet well understood. The main hypothesis of this study is that a standardized oral structure and function profile can improve the explanation of central arterial stiffness beyond established cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle-related health metrics (INN.HEALTH study). Central arterial stiffness will be assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, a marker of vascular ageing and cardiovascular risk. Participants will undergo a single oral assessment during Visit 4 of the INN.HEALTH study. The assessment includes screening of oral health status, dentition, bite force, tongue pressure, chewing efficiency, chewing and swallowing performance, questionnaires on oral health-related quality of life and food avoidance, and measurement of masseter muscle thickness. The study does not involve any treatment. The results may help clarify whether oral structural and functional markers can contribute to future vascular risk assessment and prevention strategies in the general adult population.

Implementing Shared Decision Making (SDM) For Individualized CV Prevention (SDM4IP)

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the #1 cause of premature mortality and substantial morbidity in the U.S. Despite clinical guidelines, most clinical interventions are implemented in people at relatively lower CV risk, and few among people at the highest risk. Shared decision making (SDM) can mitigate the risk-treatment paradox by reducing risk blindness and lack of fit of the preventive regimen, but the adoption of SDM in routine clinical care is incomplete. This study addresses SDM adoption of a CV prevention SDM tool in three health systems.

Dose-Response to Resistance Exercise on Cardiovascular Health

A large body of evidence indicates numerous health benefits of physical activity, including prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in the US. This evidence has led to US Physical Activity Guidelines that recommend ≥150 min/week of moderate or ≥75 min/week of vigorous aerobic exercise (AE), plus resistance exercise (RE; such as weight lifting) on ≥2 days/week. To date, current research has mostly focused on AE, and we know a great deal about the dose-response relation between AE and health, resulting in clear and practical guidance to the public on the recommended "dose" in min/week. However, currently far less is known about the dose-response for RE: ≥2 days/week are recommended, but with no duration specified. Thus, this project aims to provide clarity on the dose relationship between RE and health. This project will significantly contribute to developing more effective CVD prevention approaches, advancing prescriptive intervention guidelines, by helping to fill the important gaps in knowledge on effective minimum dose, beneficial optimal dose, and safe maximum dose of RE for CVD prevention. Thus, advancing prescriptive intervention guidelines, and provide important insights for future science of physical activity and health.

Prevalence and Overlap of Cardiovascular, Kidney, and Metabolic Diseases in Korea: A Population-based Study

This study tests the prevalence and characteristics of overlapping obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease \[MASLD/Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH)\], osteoarthritis, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The purpose of the study is to measure how common cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic diseases are in the Korean adult population and how often they occur together (overlap) over time (2013-2023). Participants will not receive any study medicine as this is an observational analysis of existing survey data. The study does not involve a new investigational drug; it analyses health and outcome data collected in routine practice and national surveys.

AI-THEROSCOPE: AI Detection of Subclinical Atherosclerosis From Retinal Images

Cardiovascular risk scores are widely used for risk stratification but may fail to identify a substantial proportion of individuals with subclinical atherosclerosis who are at increased risk of future cardiovascular events. Vascular ultrasound can directly detect carotid and femoral atherosclerotic plaques but its implementation is limited by the need for trained operators and expert interpretation. The AI-THEROSCOPE study aims to develop and validate an artificial intelligence-based tool capable of detecting subclinical atherosclerosis through the analysis of non-mydriatic retinal fundus images. Participants undergo clinical assessment, laboratory testing, carotid and femoral ultrasound, and retinal fundus photography. The performance of the AI model will be evaluated against vascular ultrasound findings as the reference standard for the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Structured Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation for Cardiovascular Outcomes in Cancer Survivors

Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) has become a major cause of morbidity and mortality among cancer survivors. Although cardiac rehabilitation is recommended for cardiovascular disease prevention and management, high-quality randomized controlled evidence regarding its efficacy in cardio-oncology populations remains limited. This multicenter, prospective, parallel-group, superiority randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate whether a structured cardio-oncology rehabilitation (CORE) program combined with usual care can improve cardiovascular outcomes in patients with CTRCD or cancer survivors at high cardiovascular risk, compared with usual care alone. A total of 800 participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either structured cardio-oncology rehabilitation plus usual care or usual care alone. The intervention includes individualized exercise training, nutritional management, psychosocial support, cardiovascular risk-factor optimization, and patient education. Participants will be followed for 12 months. The primary endpoint is time to first major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) within 12 months. Secondary endpoints include changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiac function, biomarkers, quality of life, physical function, psychological status, safety outcomes, and health economic outcomes.

Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risks Among the Participants of the ESC Congress 2025

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is dedicated to promoting cardiovascular (CV) health and minimizing the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases throughout Europe. As a founding member of the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH), the ESC is advocating for European and National Cardiovascular Health Plans which would include a cardiovascular and diabetes health check as part of a screening process for citizens. In line with this call for public health diagnosis of CV health, the ESC is committed to raising awareness on the need for actions and proposes to offer complimentary tests to delegates at ESC Congress 2025 in Madrid.

Interdisciplinary Program to Improve Lifestyle in Chronic Pathology: Alt Pirineu Aran in Fit (APA-FIT)

Interdisciplinary Program to Improve the Lifestyle of Individuals with Chronic Conditions in the Alt Pirineu and Aran Region Sedentary behavior and lack of regular physical activity have been widely recognized as urgent global public health issues-not only because they are key risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but also due to their impact on major chronic diseases. Primary Objective / Hypothesis To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention program aimed at improving the lifestyle of individuals with chronic conditions in the Alt Pirineu and Aran health region by promoting active living and physical activity (PA), healthy dietary habits, and positive mental health (PMH), through the use of a digital tool (APP). The program also aims to determine whether this intervention leads to a reduction in cardiovascular risk, comorbidity, and premature aging associated with non-communicable diseases. Study Design and Sample The sample will consist of individuals over 18 years of age with moderate to high cardiovascular risk who voluntarily participate in the project. The program will last for 9 months and will be structured into two groups: an intervention group, which will actively participate in the program through the APP, and a control group, which will not receive the intervention. Pre- and post-intervention measurements will be applied to assess the effects of the program. Applicability and Relevance This project seeks to implement an interdisciplinary care model for individuals with chronic conditions, aiming to enhance lifestyle behaviors, reduce comorbidity, and mitigate premature aging. The APA-fit digital tool seeks to implement this model by empowering patients in their self-care and facilitating seamless, effective communication between patients and healthcare professionals.