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Emotional stress may be a hidden trigger for repeat heart attacks — a study investigates

NCT ID NCT04123197

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Emory University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026

Summary

This study looks at how mental stress affects the heart in men and women who have had a heart attack within the past 8 months. Participants undergo a stress challenge and are followed for up to 3 years to see if stress-induced changes in the heart are linked to future heart problems. The goal is to understand sex differences and the mechanisms behind emotional stress and heart disease.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If the link between emotional stress and heart problems is better understood, it could lead to new ways to prevent repeat heart attacks.
What could go wrong
This is an observational study, not a treatment trial, so it won't directly test any therapy. Results may show associations but not prove cause and effect.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

306 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Feb 2020

Finished

May 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 60 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * History of documented MI within the past 8 months * Age ≤60 at the time of MI Exclusion Criteria: * History of unstable angina, MI, or decompensated heart failure in the past month * Patients deemed to be unsafe to hold anti-ischemic medications before testing (it is standard protocol to hold these meds before imaging studies) * Systolic blood pressure (SBP) \>180 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) \>110 mm Hg on the day of the test * Alcohol or substance abuse (past year), or severe psychiatric disorder other than major depression * Other serious medical disorders that may interfere with the study results * Postmenopausal hormone therapy (past 3 months) * Current psychotropic medications (past month) except anti-depressants * Pregnancy or breastfeeding (all women will receive a pregnancy test) * Severe aortic stenosis * Weight ≥ 360 pounds and/or body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater (weight limit of the SPECT imaging table)

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cardiovascular disorder myocardial infarction

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Myocardial infarction

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Emory University Hospital

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States

  • Grady Health System

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States

  • The Emory Clinic

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States

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