Statin Therapy for Ischemic and Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy

This study involves the testing of blood for cholesterol levels and flow cytometry tests to count the number of EPC's in your blood. These tests are routinely performed to gain knowledge about a person's health. If any incidental findings are identified as a result of your participation in this research study, you will be notified and referred to your doctor or appropriate health care professional. You are being asked to provide a blood sample that will be used to determine the usual numbers of EPC's circulating in the blood of healthy people who have no risk factors for heart disease. Your results will be compared with those of patients who have heart failure. Flow cytometry is a special laboratory test that can count, separate, and detect characteristics of cells in blood. Your blood sample will be analyzed using flow cytometry. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC's) are immature cells that are necessary for new blood vessel formation. EPC's will be separated by flow cytometry and counted. You will not be given the results of your flow cytometry study.