Clinical Research Specialist

What is clinical research?

Clinical research is an essential activity that helps improve the care of people with cardiovascular disease. Without clinical research, there wouldn’t be any new drugs, techniques, or interventional procedures to treat heart and vascular conditions.

The experienced cardiology team at Arizona Heart Arrhythmia Associates regularly undertakes clinical research and often offers opportunities for patients to participate in clinical trials.

What happens during a clinical research project?

There are various types of research projects, but you're most likely to have a chance to participate in a double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT). This is the gold standard in clinical research, as it's the method least likely to produce biased results.

In an RCT, you would typically be part of a research project looking at the effectiveness of a specific drug. Patients with qualifying conditions receive the medication and instructions on how to take it, then record any side effects and changes in symptoms.

Patients are split into two groups; one gets the medication, and the other gets a placebo — a pill that has no therapeutic properties. With a double-blind RCT, neither the participants nor the research team knows who’s taking the trial drug and who’s on the placebo.

This means the data collected during and after the trial isn't affected by anyone knowing whether you're taking a medicine or a placebo.

Why should I consider taking part in clinical research?

If you have a condition that isn't responding well to current therapies or doesn’t have an effective treatment, participating in clinical research gives you an opportunity to try a potentially beneficial new approach before it becomes widely available.

You might also want to consider participating in clinical research to help find better therapies for conditions that have affected family and friends or because you'd like to make a constructive contribution to society.

Regardless of your motivations, taking part in clinical research is an invaluable activity that makes a real difference to people living with potentially life-threatening cardiovascular disorders.

How do I get involved in clinical research?

If you're interested in getting involved in a clinical research project, contact Arizona Heart Arrhythmia Associates and find out what trials are available currently.

The researchers assess your application form, and if you're a potential candidate, you undergo a comprehensive screening and evaluation. This process ensures that you meet all the criteria for the trial and won't be putting yourself at risk by participating.

If you think you could help with a clinical research project at Arizona Heart Arrhythmia Associates, call to find out more or make an inquiry online today.