World Heart Day, celebrated annually on September 29th, raises awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its impact on millions of lives worldwide. Created by the World Heart Federation, this day unites people globally to promote heart-healthy living and reduce the risk of CVD.
The heart is the body's most powerful muscle, about the size of a fist, and it beats approximately 100,000 times daily. For an average lifetime, the human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times. However, despite its impressive strength, the heart can become vulnerable due to risk factors such as smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. Additionally, pre-existing cardiac conditions, hypertension, and high cholesterol can further weaken the heart. When the heart’s functions are compromised, this leads to CVD—a broad term that refers to disorders affecting the heart or blood vessels. Symptoms of CVD may include chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, fluid retention, heart palpitations, and pain or numbness in the limbs.
CVD is the world’s leading cause of death, responsible for more than 25.5 million fatalities annually and affecting over 520 million people. Of these deaths, 85% are linked to coronary artery diseases (such as heart attacks) and cerebrovascular diseases (like strokes), with low- and middle-income countries bearing the greatest burden. These staggering statistics highlight the profound impact CVD has on individuals, families, and healthcare systems globally.
Treatments for cardiovascular disease often begin with lifestyle changes, but as the disease progresses, medications, medical devices, and surgeries may be necessary. However, before any treatment can reach patients, it must first be proven safe and effective in clinical trials.
Medidata is committed to advancing cardiovascular treatments, supporting 168 biopharma and medical device companies in conducting 1,115+ cardiovascular studies with over 1 million patients. Medidata accelerates clinical research with cutting-edge technology and unmatched insights, helping clinical trials run smoother, faster, and safer in today’s complex world of precision medicine.
One example is Medidata’s involvement in the ADAPTABLE study, a large cardiovascular trial aimed at determining the most effective aspirin dose for patients while minimizing side effects. Millions of Americans with heart disease take aspirin daily to prevent heart attacks or strokes. Medidata, in collaboration with the Duke Clinical Research Institute, provided decentralized clinical trial solutions, enabling remote management of patient informed consent, enrollment, and randomization. This allowed patients to report health outcomes conveniently from their desktop, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. At the time, ADAPTABLE was the largest virtual pragmatic clinical trial ever conducted.
Medidata remains dedicated to helping researchers discover new and improved treatments for heart diseases, enabling people to live longer, healthier lives.
Learn more about how Medidata supports cardiovascular clinical trials.