Cincinnati doctor receives $3.6 million grant for first-of-its-kind heart study

Key Points:

• Dr. Odayme Quesada of The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati received a $3.6 million NIH grant to lead the nation's first clinical trial targeting treatment for angina with nonobstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA) and coronary microvascular disease (CMD), conditions that disproportionately affect women.
• The five-year trial will investigate whether dapagliflozin, an FDA-approved drug for Type 2 diabetes and heart failure, can effectively treat CMD, which currently has no targeted therapies to reverse the disease.
• Researchers plan to enroll 120 patients, both men and women, who will be randomly assigned to receive either dapagliflozin or a placebo in a double-blind study conducted at The Christ Hospital in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati.
• ANOCA affects up to 70% of patients evaluated annually for chest pain without significant coronary artery blockages, predominantly impacting women and resulting in an estimated $21 billion annual economic burden in the U.S.
• Patient enrollment for the trial is scheduled to begin in fall 2026, with the study aiming to improve treatment options for patients suffering persistent chest pain linked to CMD.