LBNP 2-day

STUDY BASICS

Researchers in the Department of Emergency Medicine are looking for volunteers for a research study in their human physiology laboratory. Specifically, they are looking for volunteers for a study that will measure blood flow, blood pressure, and heart rate using medical devices that are “non-invasive”. Participation involves up to 3 visits for the study. Compensation is provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

This research is studying the use of non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring devices (tools that measure heart function and blood flow by using sensors that sit on your skin, like those attached with adhesive stickers) and their ability to identify hemorrhage (losing a lot of blood) using simulation (lowering your blood pressure by using a vacuum to pull blood into your legs, which tricks your body into thinking it has lost blood).

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Healthy individuals age 18-45 may participate.

• Persons without a history of diabetes, kidney failure, adrenal gland problems (taking medications), or any heart problems, including high blood pressure (aka hypertension).

• Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals may not participate in this study. 

• Persons who are professional or varsity athletes are not eligible to participate (due to the differences in heart and vessel function of extreme athletes).

• Persons who regularly smoke cigarettes and/or vape nicotine may not participate.

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

• There are 3 visits for the study: 1 screening visit and 2 protocol (experiment) visits:

  -      The screening visit will take approximately 1 hour. 

  -      Each of the 2 protocol visits will take approximately 4 hours to complete. 

• You will rest on your back with the bottom of your torso and legs (everything below the belly button) in a lower-body “chamber” used to temporarily manipulate blood flow (this means that for a short amount of time only, it will make changes in the way your blood normally flows). 

• We will place a standard intravenous catheter (a.k.a. an “IV”; a small plastic straw that sits in your vein and is inserted with a needle that is immediately removed) for safety and to draw a small amount of blood (this is the only “invasive” part of this study).  This is like an IV that would be placed to draw blood and give you medications in an emergency room or a doctor’s office, for example. 

• Participants will need to wear athletic shorts, a loose-fitting top, sneakers, and a sports bra (if applicable).