Research & Clinical Trials

The Cardiovascular Research Institute (CRI), based at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, is responsible for coordinating and performing cardiovascular research within the MedStar Health Research Institute (MHRI), the research arm of MedStar Health.

CRI is comprised of basic scientists and senior cardiovascular investigators, cardiovascular physicians, research nurses, technicians, support staff, and others who are dedicated to state-of-the-art research in cardiovascular care. The Institute draws on MedStar Heart Institute’s enormous patient experience, which includes more than 18,000 catheterizations, 5,000 percutaneous interventional procedures, and 1,800 open-heart procedures per year.

CRI’s clinical research activities offer patients an opportunity to become involved with a number of clinical trials, and include:

• Drug Eluting Stent Registries
• Carotid Stent Trials (for treating patients with stroke or at risk of stroke)
• Devices to more effectively treat peripheral vascular disease
• Acute Coronary Syndrome/MI Interventions
• Cardiac Imaging (MRI, Cardiac CT, intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS), and cardiac ultrasound)
• Atherosclerosis and Lipids Therapy (including state-of-the-art therapy with HDL to decrease plaque size and decrease risk of recurrent heart attack)
• Pharmacologic therapies for cardiovascular disease
• Gene Discovery (to reveal genetic causes of cardiovascular diseases)
• Angiogenesis/Myogenesis (to improve heart function and to increase blood flow to the heart of patients with atherosclerotic heart disease).
• Congestive Heart Failure

For more information or to join a CRI clinical trial, please call 202 877-7460. For more information about CRI’s programs, which include several basic and clinical research labs, where scientists and researchers collaborate on emerging techniques and technologies in cardiovascular care click here.