Role of Sympathetic Overactivity and Angiotensin II in PTSD and CV

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phasePhase 2
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-65
SponsorEmory University

About this trial

The purpose of this study is to find out why patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have an increased risk for heart disease and high blood pressure later in life. A second purpose is to find out what causes PTSD patients to have high adrenaline levels during stress. This study will also test if a medicine called losartan improves high adrenaline levels in patients with PTSD and if a certain gene that has to do with high blood pressure might be associated with high adrenaline levels.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

veterans ages 18-65 years old with PTSD and without PTSD (controls) matched for age, gender, and race.

Disqualifiers

pregnancy

hypertension

diabetes

heart or vascular disease

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Microneurography
  • Combat virtual reality video clip
  • Handgrip Exercise
  • Cold Pressor Test (CPT)
  • Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP)
  • Phenylephrine
  • Losartan
  • Atenolol
  • Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation (tVNS)
  • Sham Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation (tVNS)

Treatment groups

134 Participants
are divided into 6 treatment groups

6

Treatment groups

See each treatment group below.

Sponsors and collaborators

Emory University

Lead sponsor

American Heart Association

Collaborator