CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE

This study tests whether sacubitril-valsartan, a drug used for heart failure, can improve heart structure and function in adults with congenital heart disease. About 45 participants will receive either the drug or a placebo. Researchers will measure changes in heart function, blo…

This study tests the Cardiohelp device, a heart-lung machine, in 50 children with severe heart failure to see if it is safe and works well for up to 30 days. It also compares two blood thinners (heparin vs. bivalirudin) to find which causes fewer bleeding or clotting problems. Th…

This early-stage trial tests whether heart cells grown from a patient's own stem cells are safe to inject into people with severe congenital heart disease. About 50 participants will receive the cells or be in a comparison group. The main goal is to check for serious side effects…

This study tests if the drug propranolol can safely and quickly resolve chylothorax—a serious fluid leak in the chest—after open heart surgery in children with congenital heart disease. About 50 children aged 7 days to 18 years will receive either propranolol or a placebo to see …

This study tests a special stent designed to keep a small blood vessel open in babies under 6 months old who have a congenital heart defect. The stent helps maintain blood flow to the lungs, which may delay or avoid the need for open-heart surgery in the first months of life. Abo…

This study tests whether a home-based digital exercise program can help children aged 10-17 with Fontan circulation (a heart condition) become more physically active and fit. Participants will wear an activity tracker for 12 months and complete fitness tests. Half will also recei…

This study looks at 200 infants under 1 year old who had heart surgery for congenital heart disease. After surgery, when the breathing tube is removed, babies need extra help breathing. This study compares two standard methods—high flow nasal cannula and non-invasive positive pre…

This study tests whether a 12-week home-based high intensity interval training program can improve exercise capacity in people aged 12 to 45 with a congenital heart defect that required a surgical connection between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery. Participants will be a…

This study tests if a home-based video game exercise bike (MedBIKE) can improve fitness in 44 teens aged 10-18 with repaired congenital heart disease. Participants do high-intensity interval training at home, guided by a telemedicine coach. The goal is to see if this fun, remote …

This study tests an online program that helps parents of children with congenital heart disease (ages 3-9) improve their parenting skills and manage child behavior. About 382 families from SickKids in Ontario will take part. The program offers step-by-step support through virtual…

This study uses small pieces of heart tissue removed during necessary heart surgery in children with congenital heart disease. Researchers want to learn how calcium helps heart cells control their contraction force and how this differs between infants and adults. They also aim to…

This study tests a new ultrasound technology that can continuously monitor blood flow in the brains of sick and premature infants. Researchers will enroll 180 babies, including healthy preterm and term infants as well as those with conditions like heart defects, infections, or st…

This study looks at how the heart and blood vessels work during exercise in people with congenital heart disease. Researchers will compare measurements taken at rest and while exercising to find hidden problems. About 200 participants will undergo a special heart catheter test wh…

This study looks at why newborns with severe heart disease are more likely to develop dangerous blood clots after heart surgery. Researchers will collect blood samples from 10 babies to study tiny molecules called microRNAs that may control clotting. The goal is to better underst…

This study is a registry that will collect information from 5,000 adults (18 and older) with congenital heart disease who are treated at specialized Swiss centers. The goal is to learn about long-term complications and the best ways to manage their care. Participants will not rec…

This study looks at why some adults who had Fontan surgery for a heart defect develop serious liver scarring. Researchers will monitor 100 participants over time using blood tests, imaging, and liver biopsies. The goal is to find early warning signs and better understand the dise…

This study looks at whether using a 3D-printed model of a child's heart helps surgeons better plan a procedure to place a mechanical pump (VAD) in children with congenital heart disease and heart failure. About 36 children weighing over 3 kilograms will take part. Researchers wil…

This study looks at ways to help teenagers and young adults with congenital heart disease (a heart problem from birth) smoothly switch from pediatric to adult medical care. Researchers will compare education led by nurses versus doctors to see which works better. About 450 patien…

This study looks at whether using a video laryngoscope helps doctors place a breathing tube through the nose more successfully on the first try compared to a standard direct laryngoscope. It involves 180 infants under 1 year old with congenital heart disease who are scheduled for…

This study examines whether special pacemakers that can deliver rapid pacing pulses (anti-tachycardia pacing) effectively treat atrial arrhythmias in people with congenital heart disease. Researchers will review medical records and device data from 300 patients over up to 10 year…

This study aims to find the genetic causes of congenital heart disease by analyzing DNA from affected individuals and their relatives. Researchers will use whole genome sequencing to discover new genes linked to heart defects. The study enrolls people with congenital heart diseas…

This study aims to find hidden heart problems in fetuses that might lead to stillbirth. Researchers will use a special, non-invasive monitor called fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) to check the heart's electrical activity in 30 pregnant women with high-risk conditions. The goal i…

This study looks at how certain immune cells (monocytes) change during heart surgery that uses a heart-lung machine. Researchers will measure these cells and related chemicals in the blood of 100 patients of all ages. The goal is to better understand inflammation and blood clot r…

This study tests a computer program that helps doctors decide when to remove a breathing tube from children after heart surgery. About 330 children under 12 who have been on a ventilator for at least 48 hours will take part. The goal is to see if the tool shortens the time they n…

This study is testing a smartphone app called Empower My Congenital Health (EmpowerMyCH) designed to help adults with congenital heart disease feel more confident managing their health. Researchers will enroll 1000 adults aged 18 and older to use the app and provide feedback on i…

This study aims to improve how we detect and understand heart disease using advanced MRI scans. Researchers will compare new MRI techniques with standard tests in 1,000 adults, both healthy volunteers and those with various heart conditions. The goal is to find better ways to see…

This study is testing a new, non-invasive way to map the heart's electrical activity in 15 people with congenital heart disease. The goal is to see if this system can accurately find areas causing irregular heartbeats without needing invasive procedures. If successful, it could l…

This study tests whether a Parent Navigator Program (PNP) helps Latino/x parents of babies with congenital heart disease connect to developmental follow-up services. About 40 families will be randomly assigned to either the PNP (weekly calls with a navigator) or standard care. Re…

This study looks at whether pulse oximeters—the clips placed on fingers to measure oxygen levels—work equally well for children with different skin tones who have congenital heart disease. Researchers will enroll 92 children under 18 undergoing heart surgery and compare the oxime…

This study creates a registry of 500 people with congenital heart disease (CHD), including adults, caregivers of minors, and family members of deceased patients. Members share their medical journey data to help researchers design better clinical trials and improve CHD care. The g…

This study tests whether wrist-worn fitness trackers can safely and effectively monitor pregnant women with congenital heart disease at home. Researchers will track heart rhythms and other vital signs to catch early warning signs of complications. About 50 participants will wear …

This study tests a personalized breathing maneuver in children on ventilators—either after heart surgery or with severe lung failure. The goal is to see if adjusting the breathing machine settings can improve heart and lung function, reduce time on the ventilator, and lower the n…

This study will collect and analyze data from 3,000 people with complex congenital heart disease who have had or will have heart surgery. Researchers want to find key risk factors that affect recovery and build a quality control system to improve surgical care across China. Parti…

This study looks at how living with congenital heart disease from birth may increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers will survey 1,000 adults and interview some to find out which experiences—like past surgeries or bullying—are linked to PTSD. They a…

This study is a global registry that will collect information from 400 adults with congenital heart disease who are taking a type of diabetes drug called SGLT2 inhibitors. The goal is to understand how these drugs are prescribed, how safe they are, and whether they help with hear…

This study looks at how a mother's emotional well-being during pregnancy might impact the brain development of babies born with serious heart defects. Researchers will follow 87 mothers and their babies from the third trimester until the child is one year old. No treatments or me…

This study compares heart and lung blood pressure in healthy adults and those with congenital heart disease. Researchers will measure how the heart's blood vessels respond to exercise using MRI and a small tube in the heart. The goal is to collect data that helps doctors better u…

This study looks at oxygen levels in the kidneys of very premature babies (born before 32 weeks) who have a common heart condition called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Researchers want to see if low kidney oxygen is linked to the severity of the PDA and to kidney injury. They w…

This study is testing a new 3D ultrasound technique to see if it can accurately measure heart size and function in children and young adults born with a single ventricle (a heart with only one pumping chamber). Researchers will compare this method to standard tests like echocardi…

This study looks at why people with certain congenital heart conditions, like tetralogy of Fallot, experience symptoms such as shortness of breath and palpitations. Researchers will use heart imaging and exercise tests in 300 participants to understand changes in heart structure …

This study will use special MRI scans taken during exercise to learn how the heart and skeletal muscles work together in children with heart disease or who have had a heart transplant. Researchers want to understand why these children often have trouble being active. The study in…

This study looks at unborn babies with a rare heart condition where the pulmonary valve is blocked or very narrow. Doctors want to find out which babies will need simple versus complex heart surgeries after birth. By tracking 150 pregnancies, they hope to create a tool that predi…