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The William Harvey Research Institute - Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

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  3. Barts Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Unit (CVCTU)
  4. Completed trials
  5. NITRATE-TOD

NITRATE-TOD

Trial objective: This study is a Phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised, single centre clinical trial of inorganic nitrate in form of beetroot juice to target sub-optimally controlled hypertension. 
Disease area: Hypertension
Status: Actively recruiting
Chief Investigator: Professor Amrita Ahluwalia
Lead Investigator: Dr Clement Lau
Sponsor: Queen Mary University of London
Funder: Barts Charity
NCT Ref: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03088514

Study summary

High blood pressure is very common, causing ~75% and 50% of all strokes and heart attacks respectively. Worryingly, despite treatment of high blood pressure with drugs 50% of patients remain at risk of the above complications. High blood pressure leads to damaging changes in the heart and blood vessels that are associated with disease severity.

Our previous research has shown that beetroot juice lowers blood pressure in individuals with normal blood pressure. These effects of beetroot are due to the activity of one of its constituents: inorganic nitrate, which is converted in the body to nitrite and then to a molecule called nitric oxide (NO), which exerts many beneficial effects on the heart and blood vessels.

We are investigating exactly how this nitrate-derived NO might improve the structural changes of the heart and blood vessels to improve how blood moves around the body and so reduce blood pressure. Structural changes take time to develop. Previous studies have shown that lowering a blood pressure for 4 months – 1 year is associated with improvement in heart and blood vessels structure in patients with high blood pressure.  In this study we propose to look at changes in blood pressure and the structure and function of the heart and blood vessels caused by a daily dietary nitrate intake provided in the form of beetroot juice over a 4 month period. 

Sample size and duration

160 subjects will be recruited to the study over 5 years.

Enquiries

For further information, please contact:

Dr Clement Lau
Telephone +44(0) 20 7882 5720 / 8931
Email: c.lau@qmul.ac.uk

Professor Amrita Ahluwalia
Telephone: +44(0) 20 7882 5720
Email: a.ahluwalia@qmul.ac.uk

Funders

Barts Charity
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