Clinical Trials

Clinical research is at the core of what we do as an academic medical center. Our physicians are researchers who are constantly improving heart care through their clinical research. As a patient, you may have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials. These studies help develop new medications and procedures that may make a difference in your own care and the care of others.

The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City offers heart care clinical trials to improve the health and lives of people in the region, across the nation and around the world.

A clinical trial is a scientific study that explores the safety and effectiveness of a new drug, device, treatment or therapy. Through clinical trials, our physicians are able to research ways to:

• Treat heart disease
• Detect heart disease
• Prevent heart disease
• Manage heart disease symptoms
• Improve quality of life after heart disease treatment

Clinical trials attempt to answer medically important questions in a scientific and responsible way. All trials are held to strict safety standards and guided by rules that are monitored by the federal Office for Human Research Protections and the Food and Drug Administration. Clinical trials are not experimental – they are actually the final step in a long process of investigational research.

Every clinical trial has different eligibility requirements. Your doctor may recommend a clinical trial based on your current health status. Those who are asked to participate go through a screening process to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements and are a good candidate. You can also ask your doctor about a clinical trial you are interested in.

When you participate in a clinical trial, you are the first to have access to innovative treatments that aren't yet available. You also gain satisfaction in knowing your involvement helps advance medical knowledge that may one day be used to save more lives. Clinical trials go above standard care to provide you with more options and more hope.

Collaboration sets us apart. The heart specialists and heart surgeons at The University of Kansas Health System have a special connection. They share office space, and they often collaborate to find the best treatment for each person. You won't see them competing for patients. Rather, they strive to do the right thing for you. This level of cooperation is so exceptional we're often at the top of the list for clinical trials that require coordination among various physician groups.

Our doctors are often the first to offer groundbreaking technologies and treatments, including new artificial heart valves, implantable devices and minimally invasive procedures. Those who are considered too high-risk by other heart programs are referred to our hospital because our doctors specialize in caring for the most serious cases. Despite the high acuity of patients we see, our outcomes and complication rates are lower than national averages would predict.