The link between sleep disturbances and heart artery disease
Official title: Disturbed sleep and atherosclerosis
Funded at Old Dominion University · NIH-10974863 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how not getting good sleep might lead to heart problems by affecting your blood vessels, and it hopes to find out if better sleep could help keep your heart healthy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Old Dominion University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Norfolk, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $450,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R15HL175612-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10974863 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals experiencing sleep disturbances and those at risk for atherosclerosis, such as older adults or those with conditions like hypertension or diabetes.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have no sleep issues or those without risk factors for atherosclerosis may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how poor sleep quality and sleep fragmentation may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, a condition that leads to heart disease. It explores the relationship between sleep patterns and immune system responses, particularly focusing on how disrupted sleep can affect blood vessel health and plaque formation in arteries. By examining these connections, the study aims to understand whether improving sleep quality could help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and its associated complications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating heart disease by improving sleep quality.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated a connection between sleep quality and cardiovascular health, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Galkina, Elena V — Old Dominion University
- Study coordinator: Galkina, Elena V
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Coronary disease and immune activation in people with HIV and tuberculosis coinfection
This research looks at how having HIV and latent tuberculosis together might raise the risk of heart disease, and what immune changes are involved.
-
PFAS may speed up artery disease by changing bile acids
Aims to see if PFAS chemicals make cholesterol rise and arteries more likely to harden, using a human-similar mouse model to understand how this could affect people.
-
IgE antibodies to alpha-gal and heart disease in mice and people
A study to understand how specific IgE antibodies against alpha-gal might influence the development and severity of atherosclerosis in humans and mouse models.
-
Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 to Reduce High Lipids and Plaque in Adults with Diabetes
A new approach uses a modified FGF1 protein to lower bad cholesterol and prevent artery plaque buildup in adults with Type 2 diabetes, aiming for safer and more effective treatment.
-
Atherosclerosis in cocaine addiction: imaging risk with PET/MR
This project uses PET/MR imaging to look for early artery disease in people with cocaine use disorder to help prevent strokes or other brain injuries.
-
How low blood flow after brain artery narrowing affects the vessel lining
This work looks at whether areas of low blood flow downstream of narrowed brain arteries cause vessel lining damage and raise the chance of another stroke, for people with intracranial artery narrowing.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.