Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio have received a $5 million grant from the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to fund clinical studies of atherosclerotic disease of the lower extremity blood vessels. The five-year grant will be used to assess whether cholesterol-lowering agents can lead to plaque regression, a partial reversal of the atherosclerotic process.
Investigators in the departments of cardiology, vascular surgery, interventional radiology, and biomedical engineering will work together to conduct the research, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The facility expects to enroll about 275 patients with existing peripheral arterial disease for the study. Ultrasound tests will be used to determine the amount of plaque build-up in each participant's arteries and the components of that plaque, such as cholesterol, calcium, or fibrous tissue. Patient enrollment is expected to begin in 2004.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersOctober 3, 2003
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