Heart Heath Research

February 8, 2016

UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT Tyler Seeks Participants for Heart Health Study

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February 8, 2016

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

The University of Texas at Tyler is currently seeking individuals for a research study that will potentially revise American Heart Association stroke prevention guidelines, Dr. Yong Tai Wang, College of Nursing and Health Sciences dean, announced.

Participants must be 55 – 75 years old and have been diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation, or AFib. Those interested also must be able to conduct moderate exercise approved by a physician. An orientation meeting will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17 in the UT Tyler Herrington Patriot Center, room 2235. To register for the study, call 903.565.5913.

UT Tyler assistant professor and Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neuromotor Behavior director Dr. Benjamin Tseng will lead the study, which involves a three-month randomized controlled trial consisting of an exercise and control group.

"The objective of this clinical intervention study is to determine if moderate aerobic training reduces stroke risk by improving arterial stiffness, brain blood flow and decreasing cardiovascular burden in AFib patients," Tseng said. "If effectiveness of our non-pharmacological approach is confirmed, we'll apply this method on a large-scale clinical investigation and hopefully change the stroke prevention guidelines via AHA and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention."

The UT Tyler brain aging team will evaluate the participants at baseline and after three months. Assessments will include heart rhythm monitoring, neuroimaging methods, ultrasound and applanation atonometry, where the stiffness of blood vessels is measured without skin penetration.

"Atherosclerosis – or the stiffening of arteries – is highly associated with AFib. In contrast, aerobic training has been shown to reduce arterial stiffness and improves brain blood flow in order adults," he said.

According to Tseng, AFib is the most common type of irregular heartbeat among older adults, and the disease is the leading cause of fatal ischemic stroke – where blood clots obstruct blood flow in the brain.

For more information about the study, contact Tseng, 903.566.7042 or btseng@uttyler.edu.

One of the 14 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 8,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.