4 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Comparison studies comparing hemodynamic parameters provided by the Caretaker against respective Gold Standard references.
Echocardiography is an ultrasound-based imaging technique which can be performed through the esophagus (which lies behind the heart) and through the chest wall; both TEE and TTE are performed routinely as a monitoring and diagnostic tool at different times in the course of one cardiac surgery. The purpose of the study is to compare these two methods of echocardiography and comparing them to the 2D TEE and TTE assessments, which are routinely performed simultaneously. The study will also compare the echocardiography data to a third technique, thermodilution, which measures cardiac function via a pulmonary artery catheter.
More than 1 million Americans suffer heart attacks each year. Although current treatments are able to stabilize the condition of the heart, none is able to restore heart function as it was prior to the heart attack. Adult stem cells, which are immature cells that can become many different types of cells, may offer a potential means of reversing or preventing permanent damage caused by a heart attack. Recent studies have shown promise in using adult stem cells from bone marrow to reverse damage to the heart muscle caused by a heart attack, but more research is needed to assess the safety and effectiveness of stem cell use and to discover the best time to administer treatment. This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of using adult stem cell infusions 2 to 3 weeks after a heart attack for improving heart function in people who have had a recent heart attack and a common procedure called a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Heart attacks are a leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is restricted, commonly due to a blood clot that has formed in one of the coronary arteries. If the clot becomes large enough, blood flow to the heart can be blocked almost completely and the heart muscle in that area can suffer permanent injury or death. Although a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can be used to open up the blocked artery and restore blood flow to the heart muscle, there may be a significant amount of heart tissue that has been irreversibly damaged. Recent studies have shown that adult stem cells from bone marrow may be able to improve heart function after a heart attack. This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of using adult stem cells for improving heart function in people who have had a recent heart attack and a PCI.