Could zapping a nerve help failing hearts?

NCT ID NCT01385176

First seen Nov 01, 2025 · Last updated May 14, 2026 · Updated 23 times

Summary

This study tested whether stimulating the vagus nerve in the neck could improve heart function in 118 people with advanced heart failure. Participants had a device implanted to deliver mild electrical pulses to the nerve. The goal was to see if this therapy could reduce heart size and improve pumping ability over six months, compared to no stimulation. The approach aims to manage the disease, not cure it.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • A. O. Dei Colli - Monaldi

    Naples, 80131, Italy

  • Azienda Ospedaliera Niguarda Cà Granda

    Milan, 20162, Italy

  • CHRU de Lille - Hôpital Cardiologique

    Lille, 59037, France

  • Catharina Ziekenhuis Eindhoven

    Eindhoven, 5623EJ, Netherlands

  • Centre d'Investigation Clinique Pierre Drouin, CHU de Nancy

    Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, Nancy, 54500, France

  • Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, Avenida Pio XII s/n

    Pamplona, Navarre, 31008, Spain

  • Hospital Clinic de Barcelona

    Barcelona, 08036, Spain

  • Hospital Doce de Octubre

    Madrid, 28041, Spain

  • Immanuel Klinikum Bernau Herzzentrum Brandenburg

    Bernau bei Berlin, Brandenburg, 16321, Germany

  • Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St. Mary's Hospital

    London, England, W2 1NY, United Kingdom

  • King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

    London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom

  • Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust

    Liverpool, England, L14 3PD, United Kingdom

  • Nemocnice Na Homolce

    Prague, 15030, Czechia

  • Policlinico San Matteo

    Pavia, 27100, Italy

  • The Heart Hospital, University College London Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust

    London, England, W1G 8PH, United Kingdom

  • UCL Bruxelles

    Brussels, 1200, Belgium

  • UMC Utrecht

    Utrecht, 3584CX, Netherlands

  • University Hospitals Bristol, NHS Foundation Trust

    Bristol, England, BS2 8HW, United Kingdom

  • Universitäres Herzzentrum GmbH, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf

    Hamburg, 20246, Germany

  • Universitätsklinikum Leipzig

    Leipzig, 04103, Germany

  • Universitätsmedizin Göttingen

    Göttingen, 37075, Germany

Conditions

Explore the condition pages connected to this study.