Heart and Vascular Center Research and Clinical Trials

The Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Program's current focus is on data collection and outcome measures for ACHD atrial septal defect repair, for use in clinical decision making and communication with families.

The Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Program frequently participates in national clinical trials that test the effectiveness of new therapies, including recently completed trials such as CHARM, IPRESERVE, and GUIDE-IT.

Currently, you may request enrollment in the PARAGON clinical trial, which is testing a new medication for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Our program research studies include management of heart failure in the larger population, and outcomes research designed to improve the processes of heart failure care and care management. We also participate in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Heart Failure Network through our association with Tufts Medical Center.

Another key area of research is on the use of palliative care and shared decision-making in heart failure populations. Our program participated in the ENABLE Heart Failure Trial, which showed that those who receive supportive care based on a symptom management strategy feel better, spend less time in the hospital and more time at home, and live longer.

Dr. Kono participates in two national consortiums on heart failure and palliative care, and is involved in the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care.

The Cardiac Electrophysiology Program has a history of innovation in the development of more effective cardiac rhythm devices, catheter-based diagnostics, ablation techniques, and workflows. Our program works in partnership with the industry to help develop and evaluate promising new technologies in the laboratory. We critically evaluate emerging technologies and techniques, of which only a minority are pursued or deployed within our laboratories on behalf of those of you who most may benefit.

Another current focus is on "interoperability" of cardiac devices and workflows. We uniquely have developed an information technology framework to enable the remote collection of standardized device data from implanted cardiac devices. The data is pulled automatically into the electronic medical record where it is accessible to caregivers system-wide, and in some cases may be used in a way that substantially impacts the delivery of care.

Our goal is to impact how we monitor and deliver care for the thousands of you with implanted cardiac devices. Ultimately, we hope to provide this information back to you through your cell phones and computers, with an eye toward increasing ownership and control of your information and heart health.

Together with the Structural Heart Disease Program, the Cardiovascular Imaging Program has participated in the PARTNER trial since its inception, testing the safety and effectiveness of repairing or replacing the aortic valve by inserting a new valve through a catheter rather than in open surgery. We are one of just 50 sites across the country currently offering TAVR for those of you at low risk through the PARTNER III clinical trial.

The Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart Disease Program participates in groundbreaking clinical trials, providing you with access to the latest treatment options years before they are available to the public—all without traveling far from home. 

Our clinical trials and outcomes research

Our clinical trials include:

• Studies of new devices and new treatment strategies for structural heart and valve disease
• Studies on new treatment options for heart attack, chronic total occlusion, pulmonary embolism, and more
• Studies to expand treatment indications for minimally invasive therapies, with the goal of bringing new treatment options to people who are not candidates for open-heart surgery
• Outcomes studies through the Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group, National Cardiovascular Disease Registry, and the Vascular Quality Initiative
• Investigator-initiated studies originating at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy, or the Geisel School of Medicine
• National, multicenter clinical trials through large, disease-specific registries

Why participate in a clinical trial?

Participating in a clinical trial may provide you with benefits that include:

• Early access to the latest advances in treatment that are not yet available to the public
• Collaborative, leading-edge care delivered by a team of researchers and clinicians
• Advancing the field of cardiovascular medicine by helping to improve technology and treatment approaches

To inquire about ongoing or future clinical trials in the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic, please contact the Cardiology Research Coordinator at 603-650-6228.

As a team physician at Dartmouth, Dr. Beaver participates in the Dartmouth Peak Performance (DP2) program. Together with Jack Turco, MD, then director of the Dartmouth College Health Service, Dr. Beaver was instrumental in Dartmouth implementing a new cardiac screening protocol for all incoming athletes. The protocol, which includes both an on-campus electrocardiogram (EKG) and a physical exam, adds another layer of safety for the college's athletes. It also contributes data to the study of cardiac sudden death in athletes.

Dr. Beaver's research on the screening protocol was presented at the American Heart Association's 2016 Scientific Sessions and Resuscitation Science Symposium in November 2016, and published in the AHA journal, Circulation. To learn more, read the AHA Scientific Sessions poster (PDF) and the AHA Circulation journal abstract.

The Valvular Heart Disease Program is involved in clinical research and trials in valvular disease offering:

• One of just 50 centers in the nation currently accepting enrollment in the PARTNER3 TAVR trial, offering transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for severe aortic stenosis at low operative risk
• A unique center in the region in its participation in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Network NIH-funded trial network, which is currently accepting enrollment with concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve disease
• Specialists that participate in the development and publication of national treatment guidelines, as well as in regional outcomes studies conducted through the Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group