Dexmedetomidine and Myocardial Protection (DEXCARD)

January 28, 2026 updated by: Karam Nam, MD, Seoul National University Hospital

Cardioprotective Effect of Dexmedetomidine in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass: a Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial

Dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 agonist, is a sedative that is widely used in various clinical settings because, compared to benzodiazepines, it preserves respiratory function better and its duration of action is short.

Recent experimental studies showed a possibility that dexmedetomidine may have an organoprotective effect from ischemic-reperfusion injury by reducing inflammatory response. Besides, dexmedetomidine is known to be related with attenuated sympathetic tone and improved microcirculation.

Taken together, it is plausible that dexmedetomidine exerts cardioprotection in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp.

The aim of this trial is to test the effect of dexmedetomidine on postoperative cardiac troponin I measurements in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

224

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • South Korea
      • Seoul, South Korea, 03080
        • Seoul National University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

19 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • cardiac surgery utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Coronary artery bypass grafting
  • Concomitant cryo-Maze procedure
  • Myectomy
  • Heart transplantation
  • Concomitant major non-cardiac surgery
  • Isolated complicated congenital heart surgery
  • descending thoracic aorta surgery with partial cardiopulmonary bypass
  • Emergency surgery
  • Minimally invasive or robot-assisted surgery
  • Estimated GFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m2
  • Documented end-stage renal disease
  • Preoperative renal replacement therapy
  • Preoperative history of percutaneous coronary intervention within 6 month before surgery
  • Acute coronary syndrome within 4 weeks before surgery
  • Preoperative mechanical circulatory support devices

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Control
Placebo group using normal saline infusion
Drug: Control
During the same time window for dexmedetomidine, normal saline is infused at the same rate calculated for dexmedetomidine.
Active Comparator: Dexmedetomidine
From anesthesia induction before the initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass, dexmedetomidine is infused intravenously at a rate of 0.5 mcg/kg/hr after a loading dose infusion of 0.75 mcg/kg for 10 mins.
Drug: Dexmedetomidine

Anesthesia is induced using midazolam or etomidate, and sufentanil. A target-controlled infusion of propofol and remifentanil is used for anesthesia maintenance.

From anesthesia induction before the initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass, dexmedetomidine is infused intravenously at a rate of 0.5 mcg/kg/hr after a loading dose infusion of 0.75 mcg/kg for 10 mins.

Other Names:
  • Precedex

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
cardiac troponin I
Time Frame: Three days after surgery
Area under the curve of cardiac troponin I measured at 0, 6, 24, 48, 72 hours after surgery
Three days after surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Seoul National University Hospital

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Karam Nam, M.D., Seoul National University Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

July 7, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 30, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

January 7, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 3, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 3, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

May 4, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 30, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 28, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • DEXCARD

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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