The Contribution of Endothelin to Vasomotor Function in Diseased Coronary Arteries

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2007-04-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of the study is to assess the importance of a substance called endothelin. Endothelin is produced by coronary arteries. This study examines this substance to determine whether it has an effect on controlling blood flow in coronary arteries. When these arteries release too much endothelin, the blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced and this may be important in heart conditions. This protocol examines an investigational drug called BQ-123 to see if it blocks the effect of endothelin. We assess the blood flow in the coronaries and evaluate the effects of BQ-123. It is anticipated that this endothelin blocker will open up coronary arteries and increase the blood flow to the heart.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital
• Treatments: cyclo(Trp-Asp-Pro-Val-Leu)

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Adult men and women between the ages of 18 to 75 years will be enrolled and categorized into one of 4 groups. The categories are defined below:

• Control patients characterized by chest pain and angiographically normal coronary arteries.

• Chronic stable angina patients who describe a history of exertional chest pain which is unchanged in frequency over the preceding month, and who have at least a 70% stenosis in a coronary artery.

• Unstable angina patients who describe chest pain at rest or with minimal exertion over the preceding 2 weeks, and who have an identifiable culprit stenosis in a coronary artery.

• Cardiac transplant recipients who are undergoing routine annual surveillance cardiac catheterization.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients with the following will be excluded from the study:

• Angiographic exclusion criteria: *Left main coronary artery disease or severe triple vessel disease; *Unstable angina without any identifiable culprit lesion.

• Severe left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction < 40%) or clinical cardiac failure.

• Nitroglycerin required in the preceding 4 hours prior to the investigation.

• Severe renal, hepatic or hematologic abnormalities.

• Inability to obtain written informed consent.