Indication: Admitted to hospital with heart attack
Physician conducting the study: Robert Merritt, M.D.
Study ID: Tracer
Study Status: Enrolling new patients

The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the clinical benefit of the study drug and how it may reduce the complications related to coronary events when given to patients with a history of chest pain.

For more information about this study, please contact Kristi Miller, RN at (417) 820-4338.
 

Physician conducting the study:  Lakshmi Parvathaneni, M.D.
Study ID: Virgo study

This is a study of men and women who are 55 years of age or younger, who have had heart attacks.   The study is designed to help researchers and doctors better understand the recovery period by examining certain things that can influence recovery from a heart attack.  Some of these things include heart attack symptoms, daily functioning and important relationships in your life.  By collecting this information researchers can try to understand how these things affect recovery from a heart attack and if they influence recovery differently for men and women.

For more information about this study, please contact Rebecca Baker, RN at (417)820-6184.
 

Indication:  Any patient going for an angiogram of their coronary arteries or heart arteries who may have an intervention or balloon / stent procedure for a possible blockage.
Physician conducting the study:  Robert Merritt, M.D.
Study ID:  Xience

The purpose of this study is to evaluate patients who receive a Xience stent in one or more of their heart arteries.  The study evaluates blood thinner treatment, future heart problems, and the quality of life of patients who have these stents by questionnaires.

For more information about this study, please contact Rebecca Baker, RN at (417)820-6184.
 

Indication: Admitted to hospital with worsening heart failure
Physician conducting the study: Donald Myears, M.D.
Study ID: Ascend HF
Study Status: Enrolling new patients

The purpose of this study is to evaluate if the drug that is being researched, nesiritide as compared to placebo (an inactive substance which looks like the real drug), plus the usual treatment for acute decompensated heart failure (standard of care) helps: improve breathing difficulties, reduces rehospitalization, and prolongs patients lives.
 

Indication: Carotid Artery Stenosis
Physician conducting the study: Robert Merritt, M.D.
Study ID: CHOICE
Study Status: Enrolling New patients

This study includes individuals who have a significant narrowing in the carotid artery (the artery in the neck that supplies blood to the brain).  This narrowing can cause strokes or short-lived blindness, and is often treated by implanting a stent that widens the narrowed portion of the artery.  The purpose of this study is to collect more information on the safety and effectiveness of the new stent system being used.  The study is a post market study sponsored by ABBOTT. Only patients considered high-risk for carotid endarterectomy and meeting the FDA approved/cleared indications for use of the device will be included in the study.  The physician has the option to use either the Acculink system or the Xact system for the stent and embolic protection.

For more information please contact Kristi Miller at (417) 820-4338.
 

Physician conducting the study: Robert Merritt, M.D.
Study ID: Sapphire
Study Status: Enrolling New patients

This study includes individuals who have a significant narrowing in the carotid artery (the artery in the neck that supplies blood to the brain).  This narrowing can cause strokes or short-lived blindness, and is often treated by implanting a stent that widens the narrowed portion of the artery.  The purpose of this study is to collect more information on the safety and effectiveness of the new stent system being used.

The study is a post market study sponsored by Cordis. Only patients considered high-risk for carotid endarterectomy and meeting the FDA approved/cleared indications for use of the device will be included in the study.  The physician will use the Precise carotid stent system and the Angioguard embolic protection.

For more information please contact Rebecca Baker at (417) 820-6184.
 

Indication: Atrial Fibrillation
Physician conducting the study: Donald Myears, M.D.
Study ID: ROCKET-AF
Study Status: Enrolling new patients

The study drug, Rivaroxaban is being compared to warfarin in high risk subjects with an irregular heart beat or atrial fibrillation.  This medication is a blood thinner designed to reduce the risk of blood clot formation that can lead to stroke.  The study will evaluate the effectiveness of the drug in preventing strokes or any other blood clotting event.

For more information about this study, please contact Rebecca Baker @ (417) 820-6184
 

Physician Conducting Study:  Shang-Chuin Lee, MD
Study ID:  Magellan Study
Study Status:  Enrolling new patients

This study is for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or intermittent irregular heart beat of the upper chambers of the heart (the atrium).  The study is done for patients who have not tolerated at least one anti-arrhythmic drug.  This study is of a new  catheter with a wire mesh that delivers radiofrequency energy (called ablation), and will be evaluated to see if it is as safe as and more effective than anti-arrhythmic medication.  The experimental device (the HD Mesh Ablation System, manufactured by C. R. Bard, Inc.) facilitates an ablation technique called “pulmonary vein isolation” (PVI).  This procedure is currently being performed with other ablation catheters.

For more information about this study, please contact Rebecca Baker @417-820-6184
 

Indication: Secondary prevention for patients that have experienced a heart attack, stoke or peripheral artery disease
Physician conducting the study: David Cochran, M.D.
Study ID: TRA 2P
Study Status: Enrolling new patients

The purpose of the study is to evaluate a new blood thinner, SCH 530348 that works along with standard of care (plavix and/or aspirin) in preventing further blood clotting events. The study is looking at the drug given with Plavix and/or aspirin vs. just Plavix and/of aspirin in preventing further events.

For more information about this study, please contact Kristi Miller @ (417) 820-4338
 

Physician conducting the study: David Cochran, M.D.
Study ID: CHAMPION PCI and Champion Platform (TMC-CAN-05-02 and TMC-CAN-03)
Study Status: Enrolling new patients
The purpose of this study is to compare the ability of two drugs to prevent blood clots in patients who have had a heart attack.  Using drugs to prevent clots may be useful in the treatment of patients with heart disease who may be at risk of having a heart attack.  In this study, the standard drug (clopidogrel, also known as Plavix®) used to prevent blood clots is being compared to an investigational drug to see if one works better than the other.

For more information about this study, please contact Kristi Miller @ (417) 820-4338
 

Indication: Saphenous Vein Grafts

Physician conducting the study: David Cochran, M.D.
Study ID: AMEthyst
Study Status: Enrolling new patients
The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of the Medtronic AVE Coronary Filter System.  This system can be used after a stent has been implanted to treat narrowing of a blood vessel around your heart.  When a stent is implanted, it is possible that particles of plaque (debris) may break off of the walls of the vein, which could disrupt blood flow and possibly damage the heart.  This investigational device is designed to be used as a filter to stop the debris from going down the vein graft and causing heart muscle damage.

 For more information about this study, please contact Rebecca Baker at  (417) 820-6184.
 

Indication: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Physician conducting the study: David Cochran, M.D.
Study ID: TRANSCENDENCE (P03573)
Study Status: Enrolling new patients
This study examines the effectiveness of an investigational drug in preventing blood clots.  Coronary heart disease, a condition in which the heart does not get enough oxygen, may be caused by partial blockage of one or more blood vessels in the heart and may result in chest pain. The investigational drug is being studied to see how successful it is in preventing blood clots from forming and causing blocked blood vessels.  Aspirin and Plavix (drugs that have already been approved for this condition) do not entirely prevent clots from forming in blood vessels.  This study will examine whether adding the investigational drug to the aspirin and Plavix that is already being taken will prevent even more blood clots.

For more information about this study, please contact Maria Weskamp at (417) 820-9587.
 

Indication: Acute Coronary Syndrome

Physician conducting the study: David Cochran, M.D.
Study ID: Acuity (TMC-BIV-02-08)
Study Status: No longer enrolling new patients
The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of different drugs in the prevention of blood clots and bleeding following angiography.  This procedure is performed to determine the degree to which blood vessels to the heart have blockages.  It involves inserting a long plastic tube to the heart via a blood vessel in the groin.  A dye is then injected through the tube that will make it easier for the doctor to visualize any blockages, enabling the doctor to suggest the most appropriate treatment.

Before the angiography takes place, the patient receives anti-clotting medications to prevent blood clots from forming due to the insertion of the plastic tube into the groin.  This study examines how a newly approved drug (bivalirudin) compares to other injectable anti-clotting medications in the prevention of blood clots and bleeding.  Results from previous studies suggest that this drug may reduce the chance of bleeding, heart attack, or the need for an urgent repeat procedure in patients at high risk of developing complications.

For more information about this study, please contact Rebecca Baker at (417) 820-6184.
 

Indication: Saphenous Vein Grafts

Physician conducting the study: David Cochran, M.D.
Study ID: CHAMPION (TMC-CAN-05-02)
Study Status: Starting soon
The purpose of this study is to compare the ability of two drugs to prevent blood clots.  Using drugs to prevent clots may be useful in the treatment of patients with heart disease who may be at risk of having a heart attack.  In this study, the standard drug (clopidogrel, also known as Plavix®) used to prevent blood clots is being compared to an investigational drug to see if one works better than the other.

For more information about this study, please contact Rebecca Baker at (417) 820-6184.

Indication: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Physician conducting the study: John Hawkins, M.D.
Study ID: Timi-38 (H7T-MC-TAAL)
Study Status: Enrolling new patients
This is a study examining an investigational drug that helps prevent blood clots from forming.  Blood clots that form in the arteries can cause problems such as heart attacks, strokes, or even death.  The drug being investigated may be used as a possible treatment for patients with acute coronary syndrome (a heart attack or heart/chest pain) who may need a balloon angioplasty.  The investigational drug is being compared with Plavix® to determine which is better at reducing deaths, future heart attack, or stroke.

For more information about this study, please contact Rebecca Baker at (417) 820-6184.
 

Indication: Carotid Artery Stenosis

Physician conducting the study: Robert Merritt, M.D.
Study ID: EXACT
Study Status: Enrolling new patients
This study includes individuals who have a significant narrowing in the carotid artery (the artery in the neck that supplies blood to the brain).  This narrowing can cause strokes or short-lived blindness, and is often treated by implanting a stent that widens the narrowed portion of the artery.  The purpose of this study is to collect more information on the safety and effectiveness of the new stent system being used.

For more information about this study, please contact Maria Weskamp at (417) 820-9587.
 

Indication: Patients at risk for kidney damage during angiogram
Study ID: TIFFANY
Study Status: Delayed
The purpose of this study is to find out if a drug that has already been approved to treat high blood pressure can also protect the kidneys from the harmful effects of x-ray dye.  Using the drug to prevent damage to the kidneys is currently investigational.  The x-ray dye that is used in angiograms may irritate patients’ kidneys by slowing down blood flow to the kidneys.  Some individuals are at higher risk for x-ray dye nephropathy (nephropathy is a medical term for kidney disease) because their kidneys are already not functioning perfectly due to conditions such as diabetes or high blood sugars.  This study investigates how the drug affects kidney blood flow and kidney function when given through a small tube in a vein of the arm (IV) and by using a special tube called the Benephit catheter, which will be placed into both kidneys during the angiogram procedure.

Indication: Patients at risk for kidney damage during angiogram
Study ID: PATRICIA
Study Status: Enrolling new patients

The purpose of this study is to find out if a medicine that is currently approved to treat high blood pressure can also be used to protect kidneys from the harmful effects of x-ray dyes used in procedures such as angiograms.  The x-ray dyes are used to make the blood vessels visible, but may irritate kidneys by slowing down blood flow to the kidneys.  This is especially a concern for individuals whose kidneys are already not functioning perfectly.

 In this study, the medication will be given directly into the kidney using a special tube called the Benephit catheter, which will be placed into both kidneys during the angiogram procedure. Using this drug to prevent damage to the kidneys is currently investigational.

For more information about this study, please contact Maria Weskamp at (417) 820-9587.