CHARLOTTE, NC

Heart Failure Clinical Trials

6 paid heart failure studies are enrolling near Charlotte NC. Free heart imaging, free study medicine, and no insurance needed. Compensation is provided for eligible participants.

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Research Sites

+/- $100

Per Visit

New here? Read how this page works

Every study below is near Charlotte. Each card says who it wants, whether there is a placebo, and how many visits it really takes. So here is the simplest way through them.

Read the cards below. Two are drug studies with no placebo. Also, two involve a procedure rather than a pill.
Check the visit line. Because these range from 4 visits to more than 20, and that matters more than the length.
Tap Check eligibility on the one that fits. Not sure? Then use the button at the bottom and we check you against all 6.
We send your results. Along with them comes the clinic name and number. Finally, you call them yourself.

Of course, checking never signs you up for anything. You are only seeing where you might fit.

The 6 Heart Failure Studies Enrolling Near Charlotte

Every one is open today and checked this week. Notably, two of them have no placebo at all.

A Heart Pump, Offered Earlier Than Usual (TEAM-HF)

Abbott / Device

Doctors normally save the implanted heart pump until you are very sick. This study offers it earlier, against carrying on with pills alone.

Device study, real world use Recruiting

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: the whole question is whether waiting until you are sicker is the wrong call, and nobody has tested that properly.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 and older
Also, pumping strength of 30 percent or less
Besides that, symptoms at rest or on light activity, and a hospital stay for heart failure in the past year
Finally, A 6 minute walk under 350 metres

Probably not a fit if: you are on an IV heart drug, or you have had an organ transplant, or your kidneys or liver are failing.

Placebo group: None. Instead, one group gets the pump and the other carries on with the best available medicines.
How long: 2 years for the main result, then follow up to 5 years.
Clinic visits: Roughly 15 to 25 across 5 years, though the record publishes only the 1, 2 and 5 year points, so treat that as an estimate. Notably, everyone first gets a small pressure sensor placed in the lung artery, and you take a daily reading at home.
Phone calls: Not published. But the home sensor sends readings without you travelling.
Most invasive part: Surgery to implant the pump, which is the most serious thing on this page. Also, a catheter procedure for the sensor.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte NC 28203.
Be clear on this one: this is major heart surgery, not a tablet. So it is only for people already very limited by symptoms.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Starting Two Proven Pills Sooner (CONFIRMATION-HF)

Colorado Prevention Center / Drug

Two heart failure pills are usually added slowly over months. This study starts both while you are still in hospital. There is no placebo, so the comparison is simply usual care.

Late stage, both drugs approved Recruiting

Est. $400 to $600, across roughly 4 to 6 visits

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: the drugs already work. What is being tested is whether starting them weeks earlier changes the outcome.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 and older
Also, in hospital now for heart failure, or just discharged
Besides that, you were given at least one water pill through a drip during the stay
Finally, any pumping strength counts, high or low

Probably not a fit if: you already take an SGLT2 pill or a similar hormone blocker, or your potassium is above 5.0, or your kidneys are weak.

Placebo group: None. Instead, it is early treatment against usual care, and both are real.
How long: 6 months.
Clinic visits: About 4 to 6 in person. The record anchors checks at 90 days and 6 months, plus early potassium safety labs.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Blood draws, especially potassium and kidney checks. But no procedures.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Charlotte NC 28207.
Timing matters here: you have to be enrolled around a hospital stay, so it is not one you can join months later.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

A Combined Capsule for Weak Kidneys and Heart Failure

AstraZeneca / Drug

This tests a two drug capsule against one of those drugs alone. It is built for people whose kidneys have also weakened, which is a group usually left out.

Late stage, nearing FDA review Recruiting

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: heart failure and kidney disease usually arrive together, yet most studies exclude anyone whose kidneys are struggling.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 and older
Also, symptoms on ordinary activity, and a hospital or urgent visit for heart failure in the past 6 months
Besides that, kidney function between 20 and 60
Finally, potassium of 5.0 or under, and not currently on a hormone blocker

Probably not a fit if: you had a heart attack, stroke, or major heart surgery in the past 3 months, or you have type 1 diabetes.

Placebo group: Nobody is left untreated. Everybody gets dapagliflozin, and the question is whether adding the second drug helps.
How long: Event driven, so up to about 3 years.
Clinic visits: Roughly 12 to 16 across about 3 years. Potassium monitoring drives the early ones, then they space out.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Blood draws and kidney checks. But it is all capsules and tablets.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Charlotte NC 28204.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

For People Who Cannot Take the Standard Water Pill (FINALITY-HF)

Colorado Prevention Center / Drug

Spironolactone helps heart failure, but plenty of people cannot tolerate it. This study is built specifically for those people, and tests finerenone instead.

Late stage, nearing FDA review Recruiting

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: it is one of very few studies designed around the people who failed the standard treatment rather than around the ones who did well.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 and older with heart failure and a weak pump
Also, you are not on spironolactone or a similar drug
Besides that, the reason is intolerance, a medical reason not to take it, or ineligibility
Finally, kidney function of 25 or better, and potassium 5.0 or under

Probably not a fit if: you have had dangerously high potassium on one of these drugs before, or a heart transplant is planned.

Placebo group: Yes, there is a placebo. However, it is added on top of your usual heart medicines, which you keep taking.
How long: About 30 months.
Clinic visits: Roughly 5 to 8 across two and a half years, which is unusually light. The design is deliberately pragmatic, so some contact is likely by phone.
Phone calls: Likely, given the pragmatic design. However, the exact split is not published.
Most invasive part: Blood draws, especially potassium. But no procedures and no injections.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Charlotte NC 28207.
Worth knowing: if a doctor has ever told you spironolactone is not for you, that is the entry ticket here rather than a barrier.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

For Heart Failure Caused by Amyloid (TRITON-CM)

Alnylam / Drug

Some heart failure is caused by a protein called amyloid stiffening the heart muscle. This tests a gene silencing injection that switches off the protein at the source.

Late stage, nearing FDA review Recruiting

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: amyloid heart disease was considered untreatable a decade ago, and it is now one of the fastest moving areas in cardiology.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 to 85
Also, A confirmed diagnosis of ATTR amyloid heart disease, inherited or age related
Besides that, A history of heart failure
Finally, you may stay on tafamidis or acoramidis

Probably not a fit if: your symptoms are severe and constant at rest, or you have taken another protein lowering drug like patisiran.

Placebo group: Yes, and the placebo is a saline injection. So half receive salt water rather than the drug.
How long: About 32 months blinded, and the study runs to 2032.
Clinic visits: Roughly 10 to 14, but this is an estimate. The record publishes a month 30 quality of life check and an event driven endpoint, and it does not state the dosing interval.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Injections under the skin, plus blood draws and heart imaging.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Charlotte NC 28204.
Getting the diagnosis matters: amyloid is often missed for years, so ask your cardiologist whether you have been tested.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

A Monthly Shot for Stiff Heart Failure and Weight (MARITIME-HF)

Amgen / Drug

This is for the kind of heart failure where the heart pumps fine but cannot relax, alongside extra weight. The drug is a shot you give yourself about once a month.

Late stage, nearing FDA review Recruiting

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: for this type of heart failure, losing weight is one of the very few things shown to help at all.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 and older
Also, BMI of 30 or higher
Besides that, pumping strength above 40 percent
Finally, heart failure diagnosed at least 30 days ago, and already on standard treatment

Probably not a fit if: you had a heart attack, stroke, or heart surgery within 60 days, or you are in hospital with worsening heart failure now.

Placebo group: Yes, there is a placebo group.
How long: About 35 months.
Clinic visits: Roughly 14 to 20 clinic visits across about 3 years, with checks at 4 months, week 48, week 72 and the end. Notably, the monthly shot is given at home, so it does not add a trip.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Blood draws and heart imaging, plus a monthly injection under the skin.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Accellacare of Piedmont Healthcare, Statesville NC 28625.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Not sure which one fits you?

First, answer a few quick health questions. Then we check you against all 6 studies. No account, no paperwork.

See if I may fit one of these studies →

✓ Takes just a few minutes✓ No cost, no obligation✓ You are never enrolled by checking

Why Heart Failure Research Matters Here in Charlotte

The stories my grandmother told

My grandmother grew up in south Charlotte, and she kept track of everybody. There was a man from church out toward Gastonia who started sleeping in his recliner because lying flat left him short of breath. Meanwhile, a friend of a friend in Rock Hill kept a chair halfway up the stairs, and everybody pretended not to notice. Somebody's uncle in Monroe went into hospital three times in one year and came home smaller each time. Nobody in those stories ever said heart failure, though. Instead, they said his heart is tired. They said he cannot catch his breath. They said the fluid is back.

What is actually being studied here

Gastonia, Rock Hill, Monroe, Kannapolis, Concord. Heart failure is common across all of them, and it is the most studied condition on our whole site. However, the studies here are not all chasing the same thing. Some test starting proven drugs sooner. Others test a pump, or a catheter procedure. In fact, one is testing weight loss as a heart failure treatment.

So why do people here fall behind?

It gets blamed on age. Breathlessness and swollen ankles get put down to getting older. So the diagnosis often arrives years late.
The pills go on slowly. Four medicines are known to help, and most people get them added one at a time over months. Meanwhile, the heart keeps weakening.
Kidneys complicate everything. When kidneys weaken too, doctors get cautious and doses get cut. Notably, two studies here are built for exactly that situation.
Amyloid is missed for years. A stiff heart caused by amyloid protein looks like ordinary heart failure. However, it now has its own treatments.
Hospital stays compound. Each admission leaves the heart a little worse. In short, the visit that prevents the next one is worth more than the one that follows it.

What changed my mind about research

My grandfather had blood cancer. Because of that, our family looked into clinical trials, and it gave us more time with him. Of course, that is one family's story and not a promise. But it changed how I think about research. Previously, I had assumed a trial was a last resort. Instead, I learned it is often the earliest place a new option shows up.

Research is a care option

There is a saying in medicine that research is a care option, not a last resort. Generally, that is the honest frame here. You are not giving up your cardiologist. Rather, you are adding a second set of eyes.

What you actually get

An echo of your heart, which many people wait months for
Kidney and potassium checks on a set schedule
Study medicine at no cost, on top of what you already take
A coordinator who calls when a result looks off
No cost, and no insurance needed
Roughly $100 a visit for your time

Add it up. Even in a placebo group you keep every medicine you already take, and you get watched far more closely. Meanwhile, two of these studies have no placebo at all. So the question is not whether research is worth a look. Instead, it is whether another year of the same is.

What Is Actually Being Tested for Heart Failure

Four different questions, and they are not the same question.

Starting the Proven Drugs Sooner

Four medicines are known to help heart failure, and most people get them added one at a time over months. CONFIRMATION-HF asks whether starting two of them during the hospital stay changes the outcome. So there is no placebo in it. Instead, the comparison is simply the slower usual approach.

The Groups Usually Left Out

Most heart failure studies exclude people whose kidneys have weakened, which is a large share of real patients. Two studies here do the opposite. BalanceD-HF enrols specifically at kidney function between 20 and 60. Meanwhile, FINALITY-HF is built for people who cannot tolerate spironolactone at all. In short, being a difficult case is sometimes the entry ticket.

Treating the Cause, Not the Symptom

Some heart failure is caused by amyloid protein stiffening the muscle. That was considered untreatable not long ago. Now a gene silencing injection can switch the protein off at the source. However, it only helps if you actually have that diagnosis, and amyloid is missed for years in most people who have it.

Weight as a Heart Failure Treatment

For the kind of heart failure where the heart pumps normally but cannot relax, extra weight is one of the strongest drivers. As a result, weight loss is now being tested as a heart failure treatment rather than a lifestyle aside. MARITIME-HF is that study, and the drug is a monthly shot.

Devices, and Being Honest About Them

Two studies here involve procedures rather than pills. One implants a heart pump earlier than doctors normally would. The other opens a small passage between the heart chambers using a catheter, with no implant left behind. But both carry real surgical risk, and neither is a small decision. So the cards say so plainly rather than burying it.

Why the Visit Count Varies So Much Here

Heart failure studies range further than most. CONFIRMATION-HF runs about 4 to 6 visits across 6 months. Meanwhile, the device studies run for years. Notably, FINALITY-HF is deliberately pragmatic, with as few as 5 to 8 visits across two and a half years. So check the visit line before you assume a long study means a heavy one.

Research Sites Near Charlotte

Not all of them run heart failure studies today. But sites add new studies all the time. So it is worth knowing what sits near you.

Atrium Health

Multiple Charlotte locations / 161+ active studies

Crohn’s, Heart Failure, COPD, Dementia, Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension

Charlotte’s biggest health system. It is tied to Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Also, it runs far more trials than anyone else nearby.

Visit Website →

American Health Research Network

Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 25 to 30+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Type 2 Diabetes

Led by Dr. Selwyn Spangenthal. It is the biggest private lung research group in Charlotte. Specifically, it has 4 offices: Charlotte, Rock Hill, Lake Norman, and Charleston.

Visit Website →

Monroe Biomedical Research

Monroe, NC / 17+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Hypertension, Obesity, Ulcerative Colitis

Notably, one of the 5 busiest research sites in the country. Its 6,300 sq ft space can host overnight stays. It is also an SCRS Global Impact Partner.

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Clinical Research of Gastonia

Gastonia, NC / 11+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Idiopathic Hypersomnia

Led by Dr. Anup Banerjee. Its 3,500 sq ft space sits next to CaroMont Regional Medical Center. Also, it has been running for over 10 years.

Visit Website →

OnSite Clinical Solutions

Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 10+ active studies

Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, COPD, Heart Failure, Atopic Dermatitis

It works with Charlotte doctors in heart, gut, skin, nerve, and joint care. Besides, it runs studies from Phase I through Phase IV.

Visit Website →

Flourish Research

Matthews, NC 28105 / 4+ active studies

Alzheimer’s Disease, Early Alzheimer’s, Alzheimer’s-Related Psychosis

Led by Dr. M. Reza Bolouri. He has 20+ years in Alzheimer’s research. The site is an Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence. In fact, its network has finished 5,500+ trials.

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New Hope Clinical Research

SouthPark, NC 28211 / 4+ active studies

Major Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder

Led by Dr. Kurian Abraham. It runs Phase I through IV studies and has 30 beds for overnight stays. Its last FDA audit came back clean. Also, it has finished 200+ brain studies.

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Queen City Clinical Research

SouthPark, NC 28211 / 2+ active studies

Chronic Pain, Chronic Migraine, Osteoarthritis

Led by Dr. Leonardo Kapural, a former Cleveland Clinic professor. Notably, he has written 200+ journal articles. On top of that, many call this the biggest pain research site in the country.

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Novant Health

Multiple Charlotte locations / Several active studies

Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Hypertension

One of the biggest health systems in the Carolinas. Its Heart and Vascular Institute runs heart studies and sees a lot of patients.

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DLVSC

4 Charlotte-area offices / 1+ active studies

Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea

Led by Dr. Gilly Munavalli. This award-winning skin practice owns 50+ FDA-approved lasers and devices. Also, it has its own research team.

Visit Website →

DelRicht Research

South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies

Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Depression

Part of a national network of mental health research sites. Currently, it runs the azetukalner bipolar depression trial in Charlotte. Previously, it ran other mental health studies.

Visit Website →

TMS of the Carolinas

South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies

Major Depression, Treatment-Resistant Depression

A specialty site for brain stimulation care. It runs the fast TMS study that packs 6 weeks into 2.

Visit Website →

What to Expect in a Heart Failure Study

New to studies? Here is how one works, step by step.

Prescreening

First comes a short phone call or online form. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The staff check your diagnosis, your pumping strength, and what you take now. Then they book a visit.

Screening Visit

Next the clinic runs blood work, an echo of your heart, and often a walking test. Also, they go through the consent form line by line, and you can still say no.

Treatment Period

Then the study begins. You take the study drug, the comparison drug, or a placebo on top of your usual medicines. Meanwhile, the clinic tracks your symptoms, your kidneys, and your potassium.

Follow-Up

Finally, there is a check-in period after treatment ends. Your cardiologist gets the results. Also, you can withdraw at any point without affecting your care.

Heart Failure Trial FAQs

Real answers about heart failure studies near Charlotte NC.

How much do heart failure studies pay in Charlotte?

Most pay around $100 per visit for your time and travel. However, the visit counts here vary enormously, from about 4 to more than 20. So a short study can pay less in total even when the per visit rate is the same. The clinic gives you the full schedule before you agree to anything.

Will I get a placebo instead of my real medicine?

No, and this is the most important thing to understand. In every drug study here you keep taking your usual heart medicines. The study drug or placebo is added on top, never swapped in. Also, two of these studies have no placebo at all.

Do I need a weak pump to qualify?

Not always, and that surprises people. Some studies want a pumping strength of 30 or 40 percent or less. However, MARITIME-HF wants above 40 percent, and BalanceD-HF takes any pumping strength. So get your most recent echo number before you call, because it decides which door is open.

What if my kidneys are also weak?

That may help rather than hurt. BalanceD-HF is built specifically for kidney function between 20 and 60. Meanwhile, FINALITY-HF is for people who cannot take spironolactone, which is often a kidney or potassium problem. In short, being a complicated case opens doors here rather than closing them.

How many visits are we really talking about?

It ranges more than any other condition on our site. CONFIRMATION-HF is about 4 to 6 visits across 6 months. Meanwhile, FINALITY-HF is roughly 5 to 8 spread over two and a half years, because it is deliberately pragmatic. However, the device studies run for years with many more. So check the visit line on each card.

What is the study with the heart pump?

It tests offering an implanted pump earlier than doctors normally would. That is major heart surgery, and we will not soften it. It is only for people already very limited, with a pumping strength of 30 percent or less and a hospital stay in the past year. Notably, there is no placebo, so the other group gets the best available medicines.

What is amyloid, and why does it matter?

It is a protein that can build up and stiffen the heart muscle. The result looks like ordinary heart failure, so it goes unrecognised for years. However, it now has treatments of its own, including the gene silencing study here. So it is worth asking your cardiologist whether you have been tested for it.

Do I need insurance?

No. None of these require insurance. The study medicine and study visits are provided at no cost. Also, you keep your own cardiologist throughout, and results are sent back to them.

Can I join if I was just in hospital?

For one study, that is actually the requirement. CONFIRMATION-HF enrols people during or just after a heart failure hospital stay. So if you or a family member is in hospital right now, that is the moment to ask rather than after discharge.

Where can I get heart failure care near Charlotte NC?

Atrium Health Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute and Novant Health Heart and Vascular Institute both run heart failure clinics across the metro. Also, ask specifically about a heart failure specialist rather than general cardiology. Your primary care doctor can refer you. Meanwhile, ask whether you have been checked for amyloid, because that changes the whole plan.

Ready to Explore a Study?

Check your eligibility, or just reach out to our Charlotte team. No pressure. Also, no sales pitch.

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Sources

Study details and per-site recruiting status verified against ClinicalTrials.gov on August 15, 2026. Study availability and criteria change; the research clinic confirms everything before you enroll.

See which heart failure study you qualify for →