Dawn Simulation and Postural Hypotension

Completed · Phase 4

Conditions studied: Orthostatic Hypotension

In brief

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.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02632318

Run by

VA Palo Alto Health Care System

People needed

35

Starts

2016-09-01

Expected to finish

2019-02-01

Last updated by the study team

2019-10-25

Who can join

Age: 55 and older, up to 85. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• History of falls or dizziness at exit from bed in the morning (at least two incidents in the past year)
• At least 20/200 corrected visual acuity
• Stable health
• Normal hearing

You may not qualify if…

• Regular cigarette smoker
• Alcohol abuse
• Drug abuse

Where it is running

• VA Palo Alto Health Care System — Palo Alto, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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