Could a pill shield the brain and kidneys during heart surgery?

NCT ID NCT05812755

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 06, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether vericiguat, a drug that relaxes blood vessels, can protect the body during heart surgery. About 170 adults scheduled for open-heart surgery will receive either vericiguat or a placebo starting two days before the operation. Researchers will measure blood vessel function and markers of kidney and brain injury to see if vericiguat reduces damage. The goal is to understand why some patients experience kidney or brain problems after heart surgery and whether this drug can help.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: vericiguat (a soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulator)
What this could lead to: If it works, vericiguat could become a standard pre-surgery treatment to reduce kidney and brain injury in heart surgery patients.
What could go wrong: This is a mechanistic trial, not a proof of cure. Results may not translate to better outcomes, and vericiguat can cause low blood pressure or other side effects.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

acute kidney injury brain disorder vascular disorder vasculitis

As listed by the trial registrant

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

BRAIN DISEASE ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION KIDNEY INJURY VASCULAR DISEASES VASCULAR INFLAMMATION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
RECRUITING

Nashville, Tennessee, 37204, United States

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