The Cardiovascular Impact of Hot Flushes

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · Feb 10, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "The Cardiovascular Impact of Hot Flushes," is looking into how hot flashes affect the body, particularly the heart and lungs, in women who have gone through menopause. Researchers want to understand if they can safely create hot flashes using a special heating pad and if these induced hot flashes will produce the same effects on the heart and breathing as natural ones. They are also interested in seeing if a woman's body fat percentage might change how severe or frequent her hot flashes are.

To participate, women must be postmenopausal, meaning they have stopped having periods, and they should not be on hormone therapy during the study. Women who smoke, have certain health conditions (like diabetes or heart disease), or are currently pregnant or breastfeeding cannot join. Participants will go through a few visits where they may be asked to refrain from caffeine, alcohol, and vigorous exercise beforehand. This study is currently recruiting women ages 14 to 25,566, so if you or someone you know meets these criteria and is interested in understanding more about hot flashes, this could be a valuable opportunity.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Postmenopausal (may have or may not have hot flushes)
• • Have not started hormone therapy and/or will discontinue hormone therapy for the duration of the study
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Reported nicotine/tobacco use within the last six months
• • Diabetic or asthmatic
• • Diagnosed significant carotid stenosis
• • History of significant autonomic dysfunction, heart disease, respiratory disease, or severe neurologic condition such as stroke or traumatic brain injury
• • Existing metabolic or endocrine abnormalities
• • Use of heart/blood pressure medications that are determined to interfere with study outcomes
• • Unwilling to discontinue use of OC (or other hormonal contraceptives, including intrauterine devices or contraceptive implants) and/or MHT
• • Pregnant or breastfeeding
• • Unwilling or unable to refrain from consuming caffeine or alcohol in the 12 hours before visit two or three
• • Unwilling or unable to refrain from vigorous exercise (at least 10 minutes in duration) in the 12 hours before visit two or three
• • Unwilling or unable to fast in the eight hours before visit two or three
• • Body mass index greater than or equal to 35 kg/m\^3