Vascular Function and Oxidative Stress in Emergency Medical Responders

ConditionCardiovascular Function in EMTs

Trial statusRecruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexAll

Age20-40

SponsorUniversity of Delaware

About this trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to characterize blood vessel function and oxidative stress (a harmful condition that damages cells and tissues) in emergency medical technicians (EMTs). The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does an overnight shift work in emergency medical technicians reduce blood vessel function and increase oxidative stress? 2. Can supplementing with antioxidants help reduce the negative effects of night shift work in emergency medical technicians?

Researchers will compare antioxidants to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if antioxidants work in reducing the negative effects of night shift work in emergency medical technicians.

Participants will:

1\. Report to the lab two separate times following an overnight shift to assess blood vessel functioning and oxidative stress 3. Take an antioxidant supplement or placebo during each night of shift work.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

Body mass index between 18.5 and <35 kg/m²

Seated resting systolic blood pressure < 140 mmHg, and seated resting diastolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg

Participant must be an active first responder that works shift work schedules. e.g., emergency medical responders, basic life support emergency medical technicians (i.e., BLS EMT), advanced life support emergency medical technicians (A-EMT), and paramedics

Participant must have been working shift work for at least 1 year

Disqualifiers

Participant is unwilling or unable to give consent

Participant has been diagnosed with any chronic disease (a history of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease)

Participant has been diagnosed with a sleep disorder (e.g., insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea)

Participant is currently taking melatonin or other sleep aids (e.g., Ambien, sedatives, etc.), or any supplements/medications known to alter sleep patterns. Participants using melatonin must undergo a minimum 72-hour washout period prior to study participation to ensure baseline sleep patterns are not affected[15, 16]

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

Antioxidant cocktail
Placebo

Treatment groups

45 Participants

are divided into 2 treatment groups

Sponsors and collaborators

University of Delaware

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov