RIGHT

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Role of autonomIc nervous system in modulatinG arterial stiffness and blood pressure in HyperTension

• IRAS ID

  241918

• Contact name

  Phil Chowienczyk

• Contact email

  phil.chowienczyk@kcl.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  King's College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 0 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) - which regulates the functions of our internal organs such as the heart, stomach and intestines - on blood pressure and arterial stiffness (the stiffness of the walls of the arteries) in hypertensive patients.
  The research proposal is made up of 2 cohorts which only differ by the challenge applied to activate/inhibit the autonomic nervous system in the presence and absence of drugs which block the actions of ANS compared to placebo. The first cohort is based on the inflation of leg cuffs (which stimulate the ANS), the second cohort involves a mental stress test comprising of a colour and word matching test/sub maximal exercise test (which stimulate the ANS) and a breathing technique (which inhibits the ANS).
  
  Outcome measures include Blood Pressure and Heart rate variability. Arterial stiffness will be measured as pulse wave velocity (PWV, the speed a heart beat takes to travel down the aorta) using ultrasound and applanation tonometry.
  Cardiac function will be measured using ultrasound.
  
  These challenges will be performed in the presence of two drugs (pentolinium and phentolamine ) which block the action of the ANS and placebo (saline solution). All participants from chorts 1 and 2 will have both the drugs and the placebo.

  The study will not affect the clinical care of participants. A blood sample will be taken to assess an individuals cardiovascular risk profile at the start of each study visit. All procedures are additional to clinical care and do not constitute a novel clinical intervention or randomisation between clinical treatment groups or involve and change in existing clinical care.

• REC name

  London - Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  18/LO/1422

• Date of REC Opinion

  23 Nov 2018

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion