Clinical Trial: Dawn Simulation and Postural Hypotension
Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: Dawn Simulation as a Passive Countermeasure to Postural Hypotension in Healthy Older Adults
Brief Summary: One of the most physiologically demanding things that older people do every day is to get up in the morning. After spending a night laying flat, where the blood distributes evenly across the body, when they stand in the morning (and the blood rushes to their feet), their cardiovascular system may not be able to compensate and maintain blood flow to the brain. This phenomenon is known as orthostatic or postural hypotension. The investigators have found in a group of young individuals that use of a dawn-simulation light that gradually wakes the brain is able to increase cardiovascular tone prior to arising. The goal of this experiment is to determine whether this dawn simulation light is able to increase cardiovascular tone in older adults such that they would have reduced or absent postural hypotension when they awaken in the morning. This would greatly reduce the risks of falls and their associated morbidities in older adults.
Detailed Summary:
Sponsor: VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Current Primary Outcome: Sympathovagal balance derived from blood pressure measurement [ Time Frame: 30 minutes ]
Original Primary Outcome: Same as current
Current Secondary Outcome:
Original Secondary Outcome:
Information By: VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Dates:
Date Received: December 14, 2015
Date Started: September 2016
Date Completion: February 2019
Last Updated: November 1, 2016
Last Verified: November 2016