Hypothermia Treatment for Heart Attack
(CHIPAHA Trial)
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial tests a cooling treatment for individuals experiencing a specific type of heart attack called ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The researchers aim to determine if quickly and safely lowering the body's temperature can benefit patients before they undergo a procedure to open blocked heart arteries. The treatment uses the Life Recovery Systems ThermoSuit to cool the body to a therapeutic temperature. Suitable candidates for this trial have experienced heart attack symptoms for at least 30 minutes but no more than 6 hours and are scheduled for a procedure to treat blocked arteries. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance emergency heart attack care.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you have severe allergies or contraindications to certain drugs like aspirin, Plavix, or heparin, you may not be eligible to participate.
What prior data suggests that the Life Recovery Systems ThermoSuit is safe for inducing therapeutic hypothermia in heart attack patients?
Research has shown that the Life Recovery Systems ThermoSuit is safe for patients. In a study with 24 participants, this cooling system was well-tolerated. The ThermoSuit cools patients quickly by surrounding them with cold water, which might sound intense but remains manageable. This study reported no major safety issues.
Another study supports the safety of using the ThermoSuit for rapid cooling. It demonstrated that cooling patients before treatments like angioplasty (a procedure to open blocked heart arteries) is safe. Although one trial did not achieve its main goal of reducing heart damage, the cooling process itself did not harm the patients.
Overall, studies indicate that the ThermoSuit is safe for cooling patients who have heart attacks.12345Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Most treatments for heart attacks, like drugs that dissolve blood clots or procedures to open blocked arteries, focus on restoring blood flow to the heart. But the ThermoSuit system works differently by cooling the body. This cooling technique, known as therapeutic hypothermia, aims to reduce damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack. Researchers are excited because this method could potentially protect heart tissue more effectively, improving outcomes for patients.
What evidence suggests that the ThermoSuit System is effective for heart attack treatment?
Research has shown that cooling the body to a lower temperature might help reduce heart damage after a heart attack. In this trial, the Life Recovery Systems ThermoSuit System will cool patients using a special method to quickly lower body temperature. In studies with 24 patients, the ThermoSuit System cooled patients effectively and safely without major problems. Early results from these studies suggest that cooling before heart attack treatment might lessen heart damage. These findings indicate that the ThermoSuit System could be effective in treating heart attacks by cooling patients.12345
Who Is on the Research Team?
Robert J Freedman, M.D.
Principal Investigator
Life Recovery Systems
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for adults over 18 who've had heart attack symptoms for 30 minutes to 6 hours and show certain signs on a heart test. They must fit specific size criteria, agree to the study's terms, and be eligible for a procedure to open blocked arteries. People with recent cardiac arrests or heart attacks, low blood pressure shock states, allergies to cold temperatures or certain drugs, pregnancy, participation in other trials, recent surgeries or bleeding disorders can't join.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Cooling Treatment
Consciously sedated patients are cooled to a state of therapeutic hypothermia using the ThermoSuit System prior to percutaneous coronary intervention
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Patients undergo percutaneous coronary intervention in the catheterization laboratory after cooling
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Life Recovery Systems ThermoSuit
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Life Recovery Systems
Lead Sponsor