Mechanisms of the Relaxation Response in Elderly Hypertensives

September 10, 2019 updated by: Dusek, Jeffery, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Systolic Hypertension is a disorder which is characterized by significant elevations in systolic blood pressure in association with normal diastolic blood pressure. Typically, this develops in individuals >50 years of age and is associated with an increased risk of stroke and myocardial infarction. While there are many effective therapies for essential/diastolic hypertension, the treatment of systolic hypertension is complicated by side effects from traditional therapies. This limits therapeutic options and has resulted in a number of at-risk individuals being left untreated.

We are conducting a randomized, controlled trial (n=90) to compare the effects of two different stress management training on blood pressure. The primary outcome is change in systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure. Secondary outcomes are changes in nitric oxide, stress hormones and psychological well-being. Additional analyses will be conducted to assess for other confounding effects on BP and PP.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

69

Phase

  • Phase 1

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

  • United States
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55410
        • Abbott Northwestern 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

55 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male or female; stage I SH (140-159 mm Hg SBP and < 90 mm Hg DBP), > 55 years of age; taking at least 1 anti-hypertensive medication at a stable dose for 1 month preceding the screening visit; understanding of English; normal hearing; and able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of current neurological, psychiatric, medical or musculoskeletal disorder; current asthma; severe seasonal allergies resulting in screening NO values > 60 ppb; current smoking; experience with yoga, meditation, guided imagery or other techniques that evoke the RR; hematocrit below 32; glucose lower than 50 or higher than 200; a creatinine greater than 1.3, Mini-Mental Status Exam score less than 26 or clinical depression based on a score of greater than 15 on the CES-D and Health Counselor's clinical evaluation. Subjects can not take the following medications: beta-agonist bronchodilators, systemic corticosteroids, anti-convulsants, immunosuppressive or cytotoxic therapy (currently or within the last 12 months), anabolic steroids, anti-depressants (not including SSRIs), anti-psychotics, chronic sypathomimetic medications, and dicyclomine.

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: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Stress Management #1
8 weeks of individual stress management training sessions
Behavioral: Stress Management Training
Weekly 60-minute session with a trainer for 8 consecutive weeks. Daily home practice of approximately 20 minutes per day via CD.
Active Comparator: Stress Management #2
8 weeks of individual stress management training sessions
Behavioral: Stress Management Training
Weekly 60-minute session with a trainer for 8 consecutive weeks. Daily home practice of approximately 20 minutes per day via CD.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Systolic Blood Pressure
Time Frame: 8 weeks
8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Nitric Oxide and epinephrine levels
Time Frame: 8 weeks
8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jeffery Dusek, PhD, Allina Health System

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

March 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2011

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 3, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 3, 2009

First Posted (Estimate)

June 4, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 11, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 10, 2019

Last Verified

February 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • R21AT003315-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

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.

No

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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