Effects of Age and Exercise on Blood Pressure Regulation

NCT ID: NCT00319397

Last Updated: 2009-12-14

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Total Enrollment

80 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2004-04-30

Study Completion Date

2007-03-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of age, exercise and cardiovascular disease on blood pressure.

Detailed Description

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This study is being done to find out how age, activity level, and the presence of heart disease affect the way the body controls blood pressure. A total of 80 individuals will be recruited for the study, and will consist of two groups: sedentary healthy individuals and those with coronary artery disease (CAD). Each group will undergo screening tests, including history, questionnaires, physical exam, lab tests, treadmill exercise tolerance test, and maximal exercise test. These screening tests will be repeated at 3 months and 6 months.

The study involves 20 visits over a 6-month period. An exercise-training program will be designed for the individual's fitness level. During the first month, the individual will be supervised while exercising at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, but after that may choose to exercise at home or in a fitness center. These exercise sessions will take place 3-5 times per week for 15-40 minutes per session based on the individual's exercise program, increasing to 4-6 times per week for 30-60 minutes per session after the first month. Participants will be required to visit Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital a minimum of once every two weeks so that information can be collected from a heart rate monitor.

Testing is done at the beginning and end of the exercise-training intervention period to determine what effect the intervention has had on the individual's blood pressure regulation. This testing consists of 2 sequential study days. During the first day's testing, which will last about 2 hours, the participant will receive 8 low doses of atropine to alter vagal effects. On the second day, which will take about 4 hours, the participant will receive sodium nitroprusside, phenylephrine, and low-dose atropine while sympathetic nervous activity is recorded. Differences in blood pressure regulation pre- and post-training will be studied.

Conditions

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Cardiovascular Disease Aging

Keywords

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vascular resistance vasomotion coronary disorder hemodynamics physical fitness

Study Design

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Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Interventions

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Exercise-Training Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

Sedentary Older Individuals Group:

* Healthy men and women ages 55-75
* Normally physically active (performing regular aerobic exercise less than 60 minutes per week) with aerobic capacities below the 80th percentile for age and gender

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Group:

* Men and women ages 55-75
* Written authorization from participant's cardiologist to participate in the study (Note: if Dr. Zervos is the participant's cardiologist, their primary care physician will also be asked to give written authorization)
* Documented CAD by previous MI or angiography

Exclusion Criteria

* Neurological diseases
* Diabetes
* History of migraine headaches
* Hypertension
* Glaucoma
* Pacemaker
* History of stroke or TIA
* High cholesterol
* Current cancer
* Benign prostatic hyperplasia
* Allergy to sulfa
* Carotid disease
* Currently taking anti-depression, anti-psychotic, or anti-anxiety medications

Sedentary Older Individuals Group:

* Coronary artery or carotid vascular disease

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Group:

* Myocardial Infarction (MI), Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) or Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) in the last 3 months
* Unstable angina, EF branch block severe valvular disease, chronic atrial fibrillation, and frequent atrial or ventricular arrhythmias (including more than 3 PVCs or APCs per minute)
* Currently taking anticoagulants or any cardioactive medications other than ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and beta-blockers
Minimum Eligible Age

55 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

75 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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National Institute on Aging (NIA)

NIH

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Principal Investigators

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J. Andrew Taylor, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School

Gerasimos Zervos, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Chief of Nuclear Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital

Locations

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Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Glen Picard, MA

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 617-573-2786

Email: [email protected]

J. Andrew Taylor, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 617-573-2784

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Glen Picard, MA

Role: primary

J. Andrew Taylor

Role: backup

References

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Hagbarth KE, Vallbo AB. Pulse and respiratory grouping of sympathetic impulses in human muscle-nerves. Acta Physiol Scand. 1968 Sep-Oct;74(1):96-108. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1968.tb04218.x. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 4235387 (View on PubMed)

Wallin BG, Fagius J. Peripheral sympathetic neural activity in conscious humans. Annu Rev Physiol. 1988;50:565-76. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ph.50.030188.003025. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 3288106 (View on PubMed)

Eckberg DL, Wallin BG, Fagius J, Lundberg L, Torebjork HE. Prospective study of symptoms after human microneurography. Acta Physiol Scand. 1989 Dec;137(4):567-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1989.tb08804.x. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 2690582 (View on PubMed)

Yuasa T, Takata S, Maruyama M, Yasuma K, Yoshizawa H, Kontani M, Nagai H, Sakagami S, Kobayashi K. Low-dose atropine attenuates muscle sympathetic nerve activity in healthy humans. Hypertens Res. 2000 May;23(3):213-8. doi: 10.1291/hypres.23.213.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10821129 (View on PubMed)

Ikuta Y, Shimoda O, Kano T. Quantitative assessment of the autonomic nervous system activities during atropine-induced bradycardia by heart rate spectral analysis. J Auton Nerv Syst. 1995 Mar 18;52(1):71-6. doi: 10.1016/0165-1838(94)00148-d.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7782571 (View on PubMed)

Alcalay M, Izraeli S, Wallach-Kapon R, Tochner Z, Benjamini Y, Akselrod S. Paradoxical pharmacodynamic effect of atropine on parasympathetic control: a study by spectral analysis of heart rate fluctuations. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1992 Nov;52(5):518-27. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1992.180.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 1424426 (View on PubMed)

Smyth HS, Sleight P, Pickering GW. Reflex regulation of arterial pressure during sleep in man. A quantitative method of assessing baroreflex sensitivity. Circ Res. 1969 Jan;24(1):109-21. doi: 10.1161/01.res.24.1.109. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 4303309 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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R01AG014376

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

AG0063

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id