The purpose of this study is to learn the effects of genetic make up on response to the drugs atropine and propranolol, to examine how changes in heart rate and blood pressure can be measured, and to test a new statistical analysis method.
Healthy volunteers will be recruited and screened for eligibility. Participants will be placed into three possible groups based on genetic information obtained during screening. Rolling admissions will continue until at least 10 participants have been recruited for each genetic group. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the control (propranolol and saline) or combined drug (propranolol and atropine) treatment in a non-blinded fashion. The participant will return over one week later to receive the alternate treatment. Continuous heart rate/blood pressure data will be recorded until the end of the study period. Respiratory rate will be maintained at a fixed rate. Participants will undergo an orthostasis task, receive the drug or control infusions, and blood samples will then be obtained to determine drug concentrations at specific time intervals. Several relatively new mathematical techniques will be applied to the data.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
24
One-time 10 mcg/kg infusion over 30 minutes, followed by a 10 mcg/kg bolus
One-time 0.8mg/kg/hr infusion (maximum dose not to exceed 20mg) over 20 minutes, followed by either atropine or normal saline
One-time 0.25 ml/min infusion over 30 minutes
National Institute on Aging, Harbor Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Changes in heart rate and blood pressure
Time frame: every 2 minutes during drug infusions and every 10 minutes during the remainder of the study time
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