Welcome to University of Iowa Health Care Today. The University of Iowa is involved in a study in the prevention of heart attacks or stroke in people who have a history of stroke, heart attack, chest pain, or heart-related surgery. Dr. Jennifer Robinson joins me now by phone to tell us more about the study and who could participate. Dr. Robinson is an associate professor, epidemiologist, and director of the UI Lipid Research Center at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Dr. Robinson,
What will this study evaluate or assess?
This is a study of people who have had a heart attack or stroke and everybody is getting a cholesterol drug called Zocor®, one of the statin drugs; and then we want to see if adding a drug called Niacin will help prevent future heart attacks or stroke. The reason we’re so interested in adding Niacin is because it raises the good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers the bad fats in the blood (or triglycerides), and we’re hoping that will add to the benefit that we already get by lowering bad cholesterol with the Zocor®.
Why is a cholesterol-lowering medication in consideration to be used to prevent stroke or heart disease?
As we get older on our American diet, our arteries clog up with cholesterol. And when you’ve had a heart attack or stroke, that means you’ve had quite severe clogging of your arteries. And what these drugs will do is actually stop the clogging process from continuing, and perhaps even reverse it, in some cases, and prevent future heart attacks and strokes.
Who is eligible to participate in the study?
People can qualify for the study if they have had some sort of vascular disease; so again, anything blocking the arteries in the heart, or the brain, or the legs—so a heart attack, stroke, or claudication. And then if people have some pain in their legs when they exercise, they might have something called claudication, and then they would be eligible for the study. Also, if they’ve had blockage of the arteries in the neck or the legs opened up with surgery, they’re eligible as well.
Is there an age limitation?
Anybody aged 45 or older.
Can participants in the study already be taking prescription medications for lowering cholesterol?
Yes, so when they come in for the first visit, they can be on a cholesterol medicine, and then what we’ll do is we’ll switch them to the study medications, which are free and provided throughout the study.
What will the study participants be asked to do as part of the study?
The participants will receive the Zocor® for lowering their cholesterol, and they may either receive Niacin or a placebo for the Niacin, and then they’ll be asked to take this medicine instead of their usual cholesterol-lowering drugs. During the study people get regular physicals, laboratory evaluations, and an EKG once a year. All of this is provided free of charge.
How will participants be followed?
Participants will be asked to come into the Lipid Research Clinic, and we’re located at University Hospitals, and they’ll be having study visits at our clinic. Most of the visits are three to six months apart, and we’ll also follow them up periodically by telephone.
How long will the study last?
About four to five years.
If someone wanted to learn about this study and possibly participate, who should they contact?
We have a toll-free number: 1-800-887-6917 or they can call us at 319-384-5030 and they should mention they’re interested in learning more about the heart attack and stroke study.
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