The goal of this clinical trial is to find out whether fasting is necessary before urgent inpatient cardiac catheterizations. For patients presenting with urgent heart-related pain or even mild heart attacks, researchers want to know whether eating and drinking before their procedure improves comfort without raising the risk of complications.
The study will answer:
* Does eating and drinking before the procedure improve patient comfort?
* Does it increase the risk of adverse events like vomiting, aspiration (food or liquid entering the lungs), breathing problems, or death, etc?
Participants will be randomly assigned to either:
* A standard fasting group (no food for 6 hours, no clear liquids for 2 hours), or
* A no-fasting group (able to eat and drink as usual).
Patients will complete brief surveys before the procedure to assess comfort and satisfaction. Researchers will also review medical records weekly and 30 days later to monitor for safety outcomes.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* All scheduled urgent inpatient non-high risk cardiac catheterizations for worsening angina (cardiac chest pain or anginal equivalent), unstable angina, or non-high risk NSTEMI-NSTEMI's with GRACE score \<140 points) utilizing proceduralist guided sedation
Exclusion Criteria:
* High risk NSTEMI's defined as NSTEMI's with a GRACE score \>140 points
* Hemodynamic instability (\<SBP 90)
* Unstable arrythmias
* Chest pain refractory to nitroglycerin drip
* New ejection fraction less than 25%
* Evidence of severe decompensated heart failure on presentation requiring BiPAP or mechanical intubation
* Inability to consent
* Patients \<18 years old
* Pregnant patients
* Need for general anesthesia
* Acute hypoxic respiratory failure requiring \>6L Nasal Cannula Supplementation, BiPAP, or invasive ventilation
* Emergent interventions: STEMI/high risk NSTEMI
* Need for mechanical circulatory support-ECMO, Impella or intra-aortic balloon pump
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Pre-procedural patient satisfaction and comfort
Timeframe: Within one hour pre-cardiac catheterization