Autonomic Determinants of POTS - Pilot 2 (NCT04140721)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a relatively common condition affecting mostly otherwise healthy young women. These patients have high heart rate and disabling symptoms during standing. Quality of life may be poor. The sympathetic nerves in the autonomic nervous system help to maintain normal blood pressures and heart rates during activities of daily life. The purpose of this study is to determine the importance of sympathetic activation as a cause of orthostatic symptoms. The investigators will assess the effects of a blood pressure medication (Moxonidine) on the symptoms during standing. Moxonidine lowers sympathetic activity. The investigators believe patients with high resting sympathetic activity might benefit from Moxonidine. It might reduce high heart rate and improve symptoms during standing. This study should help clinicians and the growing population of patients with POTS gain a better understanding of this disorder and find more personalized treatment.
Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (7 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (11 items).
Location: Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, Tennessee
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistCheck every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).
Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:
- Exclusion Criteria:
- pregnancy,
- smoker,
- BMI\>30 kg/m2,
- deconditioned status (if available VO2max\<80% of predicted)
- unable to withdraw from medications known to affect autonomic function, blood pressure or blood volume
- systemic illnesses known to produce autonomic neuropathy, including but not limited to diabetes mellitus, amyloidosis, monoclonal gammopathies, and autoimmune neuropathies.
- arteriosclerotic disease of carotid artery. History of neck surgery.
- conditions associated with inflammatory processes, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia (or on statin therapy), rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes,
- treatment with oral corticosteroids, current infections (e.g., urinary tract infection), or use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- other factors which in the investigator's opinion would prevent the subject from completing the protocol including clinically significant abnormalities in clinical, mental or laboratory testing.
🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, Tennessee
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.