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Effect of Raised Head of the Bed on Lying Blood Pressure in Autonomic Failure

Impact of Decreased Venous Return on Supine Blood Pressure

Who can join

Ages 18 to 85 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with autonomic failure and with supine hypertension from all races
* Males and females, between 18 to 85 years

Exclusion Criteria:

* All medical students
* Pregnant women
* High-risk patients (for example: heart failure, symptomatic coronary artery disease, liver impairment, history of stroke or myocardial infarction)
* History of serious allergies or asthma.

About the study

Many persons with autonomic failure often have high blood pressure when lying down (supine hypertension). This study is exploring the impact of decreased venous return to the heart (achieved by raising the head of the bed) to lessen supine blood pressure. If decreased venous return to the heart is effective at lowering supine blood pressure, these approaches may be utilized to treat supine hypertension non-pharmacologically. Raising the head of the bed decreases the amount of blood returning to the heart due to the effects of gravity. In this case, the decreased blood return to the heart may decrease blood pressure.

What is being tested

• Tilt (other)
• Elevated trunk (other)
• Tilt - In home (other)
• Elevated Trunk - In home (other)

Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Participants: 44 · Started: Aug 21, 2020

Contact the study team

• Bonnie K Black, RN · Phone: 615-343-6862
• Luis E. Okamoto, MD · Phone: (615) 936-6119

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT04502225

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Pure Autonomic Failure

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.