How the right side of the heart uses energy in pulmonary arterial hypertension

The state of energy in the right ventricle of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

NIH-funded research University of California-Irvine · NIH-11249689

This project looks at how the right ventricle's blood flow and energy change over time in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension using a 3D echocardiogram technique.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California-Irvine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Irvine, United States)
Project IDNIH-11249689 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you have pulmonary arterial hypertension, researchers would use a special 3D echocardiography method called Echo-PIV together with 3D speckle tracking to measure blood flow patterns, kinetic energy, work, and energy loss in your right ventricle. They will compare those noninvasive energy measurements to pressures from right heart catheterization and to your symptoms and clinical status. Imaging and measurements will be repeated during follow-up to see how the RV energy state changes as the condition gets better or worse. The team aims to link changes in the RV energy state with invasive pressure readings and patient outcomes to improve monitoring.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension who are having follow-up care or who experience unexplained clinical worsening are the best candidates.

Not a fit: People without pulmonary arterial hypertension, those with other causes of pulmonary hypertension that affect the left heart, or patients who cannot get usable echocardiographic images may not benefit from this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a noninvasive way to track right heart function and reduce reliance on repeated invasive right heart catheterizations.

How similar studies have performed: This uses a recently developed Echo-PIV technique that has shown promise in measuring right-ventricle flow and energy in early work, but it is not yet established as a clinical replacement for catheter measurements.

Where this research is happening

Irvine, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cardiac DiseasesCardiac Disorders
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.