Remote ischaemic conditioning for vascular health in older populations

What we are doing?

We are testing a non-pharmacological, non-invasive technique called Remote Ischaemic Conditioning (RIC) as an intervention to improve vascular health in older people. RIC involves inducing brief periods of ischaemia in a limb delivered via bespoke blood pressure cuffs. Participants complete the intervention at home over a period of 6-weeks. Measures of vascular health including blood pressure, flow mediated dilatation and pulsewave velocity are taken before and after the intervention period.

Why we are doing it?

As the prevalence of multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) increases in our population, so does that of polypharmacy and its associated adverse health outcomes (falls, hospital admission to name just two). RIC is a promising non-pharmacological intervention which has the additional benefit of being delivered in patient’s own homes whilst sedentary. It has the potential both to improve the vascular health of older people but also to reduce the adverse effects suffered by older populations by the best available treatment currently available.

What the benefits will be and to whom?

Our ultimate aim is to develop an intervention which improves the vascular health of older people (aged >65) and in doing so reduces the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. By achieving this, we hope to help older people live better for longer.

Who we are working with?

This PhD is registered with and supported by the University of Nottingham. The study take place at the School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital site. As well as being supported by the expertise and experience of clinicians and scientists within this group, we also engage with members of our local community through our Research4U PPIE network.

Contact

Dr Harry Keevil, Clinical Research Fellow, University of Nottingham, Harry.keevil@nottingham.ac.uk.