Types of Clinical Research

Research in cardiovascular disease helps find better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat heart problems and their connected conditions. There are a number of different types of research:

Patient Experience Data Research

What is it:

These are studies where patients share their own experiences with illness, treatment, or recovery. This includes surveys, interviews, and quality-of-life assessments.

Example:

Patients fill out questionnaires about how their symptoms or medications affect their daily life and mood.

Why it matters:

Helps doctors and researchers understand what illness, treatment and recovery feel like from the patient’s point of view—not just what the numbers say. It leads to more patient-centered care.

By collecting this data the patient community can advocate more successfully for the prioritisation of patient perspectives. This data is also used to inform policy decisions and improve patient-centered care practices.

Global Heart Hub is proud to engage our affiliate community in patient experience data research such as our recently completed iPEC (Insights from Patients Living with Elevated Cholesterol) Phase 1 study.

Clinical Trials / Clinical Studies

What they are:

Patients are given new treatments or procedures to see how well they work.

Example:

Testing a new blood pressure medication to see if it’s better than the standard one.

Why they matter:

This type of research directly tests what works best for treating heart disease.

These are highly controlled studies where participants receive specific treatments or interventions. Researchers then monitor their health to see how effective and safe the treatments are compared to a placebo or standard of care.

At Global Heart Hub we aim to make clinical research more accessible and relevant. to people with lived experience of cardiovascular and associated diseases, empowering them to make informed decisions and become an active partner in their care journey.

Interested in finding clinical trials relevant to your condition or country?

See our Clinical Trial Search Portal

Search Portal HereSearch Portal Here

Other types of clinical research are:

Observational Studies

What they are:

Researchers watch what happens to people over time without changing anything in their care.

Example:

A study that follows heart disease patients for 10 years to see how their lifestyle choices (like diet or exercise) affect their health.

Why they matter:

Helps identify risk factors and long-term outcomes without interfering with treatment.

Diagnostic Studies

What they are:

Studies that look at how well a test or tool can diagnose cardiovascular or connected problems.

Example:

Comparing a new heart scan to a standard ECG to detect early signs of heart failure.

Why they matter:

Can improve early detection and accurate diagnosis of disease.

Prevention Studies

What they are:

Research that looks at ways to prevent cardiovascular or connected diseases before they start or stop them from getting worse.

Example:

Testing whether taking low-dose aspirin prevents heart attacks in people at high risk.

Why they matter:

Testing whether taking low-dose aspirin prevents heart attacks in people at high risk.

Health Services Research

What it is:

Looks at how healthcare is delivered—like access to care, costs, and differences between hospitals or regions.

Example:

Comparing recovery times for heart surgery patients treated in large hospitals vs. smaller clinics.

Why it matters:

Identifies ways to improve how and where care is provided.

Contact Us

info@globalhearthub.org

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