Clinical trial NCT00783497: Evaluating the Relationship Between Stress, Ethnicity, and Blood Pressure
Official title: Stress, Blood Pressure, & Ethnicity
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Hypertension
Keywords: High Blood Pressure
Stress
Lead sponsor: University of California, San Diego
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
First posted: 2008-10-31
Enrollment: 203
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 50
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Community sample in the San Diego, California metropolitan area

Brief summary: High blood pressure is a common health problem among people in the United States. This study will examine the ways that stress and ethnicity play a role in the development of high blood pressure.

Detailed description: High blood pressure affects nearly one third of all people in the United States. It can be caused by many factors, including obesity, sodium intake, genetics, and stress. Ethnicity appears to also play a role, because African Americans are more susceptible to developing high blood pressure than other ethnic groups, with more than 40% of African Americans diagnosed with this condition. This study will examine the underlying reasons of why stress and African-American ethnicity contribute to high blood pressure risk and how ethnicity and stress interact with each other to increase this risk. Specifically, study researchers will examine how stress increases blood pressure, how people from different ethnic groups respond to stress differently, and how sleep plays a role in regulating blood pressure levels.

This study will enroll African Americans and Caucasians who have high blood pressure, as well as African Americans and Caucasians who have normal blood pressure. Potential participants will go through a screening process that involves a medical history review, questionnaires, and blood pressure monitoring. Eligible participants will then be admitted to the research clinic for a 2-night stay. Participants' nutrition history and body measurements will be obtained, and a catheter will be inserted into the arm so that blood can be easily collected during the clinic stay. During the night, participants' breathing habits and movements will be monitored while they sleep. During the day, blood pressure and heart activity will be monitored frequently, including when participants are asked to perform mildly stressful tasks, such as giving a short speech. Various medications that affect heart rate and blood pressure will be given at different times during the study, and researchers will monitor participants' reactions to each medication. Lastly, participants will also complete psychological questionnaires.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Self-identifies as African American or Caucasian
* Weighs 85% to 150% of ideal weight (approximate BMI of 17.5 to 30)
* In good physical health

Exclusion Criteria:

* Blood pressure greater than 180/110 mm Hg at any point in the past
* Currently works less than half-time
* Currently is employed doing shift work
* Currently takes prescription medication, other than anti-hypertensive medication
* Currently smokes

Primary outcomes:
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: San Diego
country: United States
facility: University of California, San Diego
state: California
Study officials:
affiliation: University of California, San Diego
name: Joel E. Dimsdale, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: